August signifies the beginning of the end. It reminds me that my favorite season is almost over. I begin to miss the vibrant and carefree days the season provides. I miss the pink, yellow, and orange sunsets at 8:30 pm. I even miss the humidity that creates a quick thunderstorm and keeps the nights warm.
I am gently reminded:
The premature anticipation of the end prevents enjoyment of the present. Summer does not end until mid-September. Even then, fall will bring its own beautiful transformation.
As I previously mentioned, the next few weeks will be the slowest of the summer for me. I started to view this period as the calm before the storm. I anticipate that September will be one of the busiest months of the year with work and my personal life. September generally picks up as students return to school and vacations end. But, like fall, we have not reached that season yet.
"Do not worry about tomomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today" - Matthew 6:34
So with that, my goal for August is to be present. I will aim for slower mornings with a non rushed routine. I will pick back up my journal, even if thats jotting down a few random thoughts. I will refrain from using social media as the first thing I do in the morning or the last thing I do at night. I will swap that use for my book or a devotional. I will spend time in silence, doing mundane task without music, a podcast, or a tv show. I will spend time outside, enjoying the sunset and the warmth of the sun I'll miss.
I will be leaning in to the slow month of August.
Just one question - How will you be more present in your every day life? I'll leave you with the most recent Let August be August poem from Morgan Harper Nicols.
Have a great day! As always, you can respond to this email if you want to share your answers or thoughts with me. You can also comment or like this post within the substack platform.