My Mixed Feelings About August

Can We Stop Rushing Through The Seasons Already?

I know I’m not the only one who’s noticed that everyone cannot stop talking about fall these days. Sure, August may have been one of the hottest months I can recall, but apparently everyone is itching to put on their knitted sweaters and zip up their leather coats.

Don’t get me wrong. I love fall (for the 2 short weeks it exists in Colorado). The changing of the aspen leaves and the cooling off of the weather feel great for a minute.

And then I realize winter and snowstorms and leafless trees and brown grass are all I’ll be staring at for the next half a year, and I remember that I’d trade in those magnificent two weeks of peak fall colors for months of summer any day.

So why, in my right mind, would I ever wish away the last little drops of summer?

The Scarcity Of It All

There’s something so magical about August and the end of the summer season.

Those last few camping trips before the rushed schedules of the colder months.

The spur-of-the-moment trips to the high alpine before the below freezing temps make sunrise hikes much less enjoyable.

The limited number of warm summer nights left to be spent on the back porch with a refreshing cold drink.

The scarcity of it all makes it even more enticing in my book. I want to marinate in this time.

Why The Obsession With The Future?

Listen, I get it, we’re all a little tired of back-to-back heat waves. But what’s with this human obsession with always dreaming about the next season without being present in the current one?

I don’t know about you, but summer and its endless days of hiking, picnic-ing, time spent by alpine lakes and roaring rivers, and afternoons defined by watermelon juice covering sticky toddler fingers is a different type of magic. Why would I wish that away?

I’ll absolutely enjoy fall when it’s actually fall, but for now, I’m a summer girl in her summer era enjoying all the summer vibes.

I just can’t fall for the fall mania, even if Costco is trying its hardest to convince me that Halloween is literally right around the corner.

We Can’t Completely Blame Consumerism For The Problem

I know there are going to be people who point out that if we extend holiday seasons, companies have a longer window to make more money, which has incentivized this “wishing away” of the current season.

And yes, that is true. But if there’s no demand for getting those items early to begin with, it doesn’t matter now does it?

The thing is, consumers seem to want to anticipate the next season and forget the current one. They want to think about the future and disregard the present. And frankly, I don’t know why.

Is it because we need something to look forward to when our current reality doesn’t feel satisfying enough? That we like the act of dreaming and the potential of what a new season holds much more than the reality of living it?

Wouldn’t it be worth it to find a way to make our current situation better rather than wishing away our limited time on this earth? We only get 78 summers, if we’re lucky.

There are moments toward the end of the summer season in years past where I found myself dreaming of fall days and wishing away the same peak hiking season I’d spent the entire year prior begging for.

And this year, I had to catch myself and call that girl out on it. Because frankly, it made me sick that I’d ever want the outdoor adventures of summer, from riverside hangouts with the kiddos to drives up winding mountain roads, to come to a close.

Holding Myself Accountable

This is hard for me to say, as I’m definitely not a fan of winter, but I’m personally going to try to adopt this mindset of presence even in my least favorite months of the year.

It’s easy when January and February snow storms are raging in Colorado to dream of warmer days. But I’m genuinely going to try my best to find the fun in the unique experience only winter can give us. We’ll see how it goes.

Consider This Your Sign To Be Present

If you, like me, are wondering if you’re a little crazy for not hopping on the fall bandwagon, I’ll just say it: if loving the current stage of life you’re in and the moment your experiencing is crazy, consider me nuts.

Care to be nuts with me?