The beginning of Autumn
As you feel a cool breeze and spot the first golden leaves, you reminisce about the summer. Chance encounters in parks, time spent enjoying the sunshine with friends, the memories of sweating through one heatwave after another, of invigorating holidays—you feel a tinge of sadness. Every year, you go through this transitional period: You begin to miss the sticky air of a hot summer night and the sense of possibility and excitement it carries, and you start to fear the looming darkness.
Right now, it is still warm enough to sit outside though and you seize the opportunity to read in the park. You pull your book out of your bag and then pause to watch the clouds above. They are slowly wafting by while you sit in complete stillness. Suddenly, there is a small voice to be heard inside of you. A voice that, somewhat reluctantly, admits fatigue. As exhilarating as this whirlwind of a summer was, it was also tiring. There were few moments of rest and respite, of introspection. Yoga sessions were sabotaged by broken ACs; early mornings of meditation gave way to long nights out with sweet drinks; an afternoon reserved for reading a new book quickly turned into an afternoon spent at the pub, simply because the sun was out.
You validate the voice; you recognise that the change of the seasons is never as black and white as many people make it out to be. Yes, the summer will be missed, but it will return eventually, inevitably. You allow yourself to get excited about cosy afternoons at home, reading on the sofa, warming your hands on a hot cup of matcha. You swoon over the cute guy you met at the park and realise that it will be even more romantic to have a date night by the fireplace at your favourite pub. You suddenly can’t wait to return to yourself, to enjoy your little rituals again. Can’t wait to just spend more time with you; can’t wait to fully recharge and ground yourself so that you will be unstoppable by the time the next iced matcha season rolls around
By Antonia
Discover more articles by Antonia here https://substack.com/@antoniaannaleoni
