It is almost the end of August. Summer always goes so fast.
These days, however, I see August as a transition month. It still has one foot in summer with the hot weather and long-awaited vacations, but the other foot has a few toes over the line into fall. Kids are buying new supplies and heading back to school, the stores are pushing pumpkin spice everything already, and my plants are starting to wilt. (Maybe because I’ve lost interest in watering them.)
August is a gateway. It is funny how we anticipate going away on a big trip or week at the beach, only to sigh with relief when we arrive home to our own bed and familiar routine. We love to go, but we also love coming back. Returning to the familiar routine is restful, sweet, and comforting. That’s fall.
My dog, Sitka, reminded me of this when we head out to one of her favorite Long Walk Parks where she gets to travers woods and ponds and fields. But when we get close to the parking lot at the end of the trip, she is likewise so happy to jump in the back for the ride home and a long rest.
Life is a cycle like August. We look forward to getting out of school (or other commitments) for the summer, then look forward to getting back into a familiar routine. We get excited over new adventures, new places, new experiences but that excitement is hard to maintain. Often slipping back into what is comfortable and familiar feels good (as long as it’s not a rut!)
As the pools close down, the tourists head home, and the sun sets around 8PM…I’m not mourning the end of summer (and all the things I promised myself I’d do but didn’t). Instead, I’m looking forward to the “new school year” feel of September, the relief from feeling sticky hot all the time, and setting new goals for the fall.
How about you? Do you love fall? Does it motivate you or make you want to hibernate?
As we gear up for fall and the last quarter of the year, I’m reviewing what I had hoped to achieve this year and sets some goals to reach by December. One big goal this year was to publish The Devil’s Luck, which will launch October 25th. I also had a goal to make better connections with readers. I’m going to some in-person book fests this fall and hope to talk with people (in person! real people!) I look forward to talking about books, getting to know readers, and maybe even win over some new mystery fans.
What have you got planned as the weather cools, the evenings darken, and the world begins to retreat indoors? Hobbies? A huge TBR pile you’ll tackle? Re-doing a room to call your own? Let me know. I’d love to hear.