Friday I was on the road, the sky was dark and cloudy and I felt like a close friend had died. Perhaps somewhat dramatic but a feeling I think many of us have shared in the last few days. I am definitely grieving the inevitable loss of summer.
I remember, when I was a teenager, as soon as my birthday came at the end of August I was ready for fall. I wanted to wear my shiny new cowboy boots, my oversized sweater and my tapered 501 Levi jeans – I longed for cooler weather!
As I get older, time goes by so much faster and instead of welcoming the change of seasons I am begging them to slow down and please wait until I say it’s okay.
I’m not ready to let go of my flip flops, to leave the house for an early morning bike ride in a tank top and shorts, to let my hair dry in the hot sun and to keep my bikini in the car in case I decide to jump in a lake anywhere in Ontario.
Do I really have to wait another 250 days until I can sip an Aperol Spritz on a patio? Drive by a farmers market and load up on cherries, blueberries and peaches? Enjoy a bonfire under a star filled sky?
I woke up yesterday morning feeling drained. My energy depleted as I dreamt of a weekend spent mostly napping. My first order of business on Saturday morning was to run some important errands with my Mom. I dragged my sorry self around while keeping a smile on my face for my Mom. My energy started to lift as the sun slowly warmed up the day. Mom and I decided to enjoy a leisurely lunch on one of our favourite patios. It was perfect, just the medicine I needed.
I chuckled to myself as the young restaurant manager checked up on us in her knee high caramel boots and gorgeous green, long sleeved shift dress. There’s no denying by her flushed cheeks that she was premature in her choice of outfit, but I understood!
When I got home later that afternoon I came to the realization that part of my exhaustion and quest for a weekend of napping could be attributed to the fact that I had had such a great summer. During the summer months I had put my mundane chores aside so that I could max out on time with family and friends and lots of outdoor activities.
I had to be honest with myself. In order to snap out of my funk I knew the one thing I could do to help raise my energy would be to simply catch up on the things I’d been neglecting over the last three months. I folded laundry, opted to go paperless with all of my bills, caught up on some reading, re-prioritized my to do list and vacuumed up a few dust bunnies.
I really believe that we do experience stages of grief when our favourite season comes to an end. Even though I am still bargaining a little with Mother Nature about keeping the temperature up just a little longer I am now slowly wavering on the side of acceptance.
I will “fall” for the change eventually, nothing that a shiny new pair of cowboy boots couldn’t get me in the mood for!
Monica XO
We still have a GREAT selection of our Canada Rocks available to help you welcome the change of season with pride! Which one is your favourite? Click HERE
I don’t think we ever appreciate summer as much as we do when the smell of fall is in the air. Grieving summer is OK. It just means you had a really great time. It’s like having that romance when your parents have sent you away for the summer and knowing that you’re parting ways to go back to your regular life at the end of August Fall offers so much energy with its crisp air, changing colours and sense of renewal. Mother nature is very clever. She gives us the energy to organize our lives before we retreat in the darkness where we recharge for the next summer. Truth be told I’m still fighting it. I wore my pink Levi’s shorts and a white linen top to dinner last night.
Always love your insight Catherine! Always sooooo positive and full of wisdom xoxoxo