Grace, Whit, and my best friend from camp’s daughter, years ago, on the beach where I spent so many summers
It has been a tremendous privilege, not to mention hugely inspiring and educational, to join my friend Aidan in the Here Year. She announced that she’ll be taking July and August to be here in her life, and in August I plan to join her. For the last several years I’ve posted pictures in August, and I may still do that from time to time. I’m not sure.
August is the deep, hot, swampy end of summer, and it’s also when I start feeling keenly the approach of fall. The year turns towards its next season and as I’ve noted before I think my own sensitivity to endings may come from having been born in this liminal season, when transition hangs on the horizon, coloring everything.
This August Matt and I will have two weeks without the children, who are away at camp (after 1.5 weeks in July). As I think of my children at the same place where I spent so many summers, I’ll remember yet again how seductive and confusing then and now can be, twining together into a cord of nostalgia and memory and love and loss. We’ll pick them up on my 40th birthday and then we will have a week of family vacation in Vermont. We’ll go to the same place for lunch on our way up, and visit the campus where Matt went to college; the drumbeat of tradition will soothe us all, remind us of the rituals that frame so much of our family life.
I intend to be here for all of it.
By the end of the month we’ll have returned to the schedules to which our real lives march. Soccer practice will have started, we’ll have new sneakers for bigger feet, and I’ll be packing lunches again.
I’ll see you then.
Enjoy yourself and happy early birthday! I unintentionally, kind of, took June off and it was wonderful. I confess, I am envious. Vermont is one of my favorite places on this earth. We got back yesterday from a mini-getaway, the last of our summer (school starts next week), and I feel sadness and loss at the conclusion of another summer.
Enjoy the time as “empty nesters” and the reunion will be sweet. Happy early birthday too! For the past two summers I have participated in The August Break over at Susannah Conway’s blog. It is a month of photo prompts only for your blog but I do it on IG and love the community there. Just a thought if you want a little connection in your off time.
I shall miss you through the month. Enjoy the here and now of August. And, your birthday? Is so, we share a month!
Happy Birthday and enjoy August! It sounds wonderful, as well as very full, emotionally. The end of summer is hard on me, too, or rather I feel the weight of it as an ending rather keenly. But this year I’m almost looking forward to it since our summer is a type of limbo, as we are getting ready to move into our new home, in a new town, by mid August.
-Dana
Congratulations on the move … that’s big. Yes, very full. That’s a good way to put it. xox
Happy birthday to you also! xox
I’m planning to still be on Instagram … so I will see you there!
I’m planning to be on IG … so I will see you there!
Next week! Bittersweet … xox
I will miss your blog but am impressed that you are unplugging! Enjoy and happy birthday!!
Am feeling those endings, too. You are wise to let go and live into all of it. Savor your time, and a happy, happy early birthday to you. xo
Sounds like it’d be amazing. Have a wonderful time away!
Good for you, Lindsey! Nothing wrong with stepping back into yourself and your family. Just think of all the stories you’ll have to share in September! Enjoy all those precious moments.
Have a wonderful time savoring those precious fleeting moments. xoxo
Lindsey, sounds like you are offline for a while, or at least off the blog. I just wanted to say hello! . . . I came across something Allison Slater Tate wrote on HuffPo and of course was thrilled to recognize her, and then found her blog, and then through hers made my way to yours. I’m not on any social media so had no idea you and so many others from P’ton were writing so much. Just wanted to say I love hearing your voice here and look forward to reading backwards in the blog over time! Hope your August is wonderful. Best, Hallie (Smith) Richmond
hi!
It’s so great to hear from you and I’m so happy you commented. Can’t wait to read your blog. xox
Sounds amazing, Lindsey! My kids are startling to trickle back home after being away at camp, and as wonderful as their homecoming is, I am so grateful for the peaceful few weeks I’ve had with them away. It’s great to slow down and breathe…
ENJOY and happy 40th!
Thank you! 8 days left in my 30s and feeling pretty ambivalent about it, to be honest…!
Thank you!
Thank you! xo
Thank you! xo
Oh, I know our kindredness extends to this, this sensitivity to the turning even when it isn’t apparent to the naked eye yet. xox