If people ask me in a few weeks how my summer was, I’ll respond that it was lovely. If they inquire about what I did, I might talk about working remotely, or writing an article for publication in a local magazine. If they ask where I traveled, I’ll point to the cross-country road trip, the week spent in Norway, and the flight still to come.
But if folks ask me what mattered the most in these weeks, I will point to the people I surrounded myself with all summer long. This season has been marked by dinners filled with laughter; family afternoons; time with friends who I always wish lived closer. I visited with my best friends from high school; my college roommates(/wedding officiants extraordinaire); the women who kept me sane during graduate school; and the people who have appeared along the way, and – luckily for me – stayed.
Last night in Baltimore
All told, since leaving California, I have hung out with no fewer than 35 people who are really, really important to me. And so, if I’m asked about what I’ll remember about this summer, I’ll point to the love and joy that I experienced, reminding me of the abundance in my life.
This morning’s sky
As we get on the road today, I am ready. I miss my house and my California friends. But I’ll carry this summer with me for a long while.
Though it will still be two weeks before I stand at the edge of my favorite ocean, the bags are packed, the car is loaded up, and the puppies are ready for a long nap.
Here we go!
It’s August now. And, for all that this summer has been, and for all that still remains, it’s time to head west. Life awaits there, too.
The Wandering Introvert 