The scene: Cleveland in August. The humidity increases with each scattered storm. Temperatures and temperments are high. People scramble to take advantage of the last month of summer, desperate to make vacation memories or complete home projects. I feel it, too - the inevitable creep of 'wasting precious time'. I still have appointments to schedule, tasks to complete, activities to enjoy before the weather cools, and arbitrary deadlines to meet. While I wonder about the missing hours of my day, time seems to stand still across the street. My neighbor's house was on fire last month. That isn't a metaphor. They didn't want to miss an opportunity, much like trying to squeeze all you can out of the summer season. Unfortunately, because their efforts were hurried, the work they had done went up in flames and they're now in a worse position than before. The visible damage has become a local curiosity. My neighbor wasn't injured, but I rarely see them around anymore. I don't know whether they'll try to rebuild.
The fear of missing out on something can be powerful. For every event or activity I've enjoyed this summer, I can think of at least one that I missed or might not experience before the temperatures cool. But I never want any disappointment I feel about those possible missed moments to overshadow the wonder and joy in the experiences I chose to prioritize.
When you're making decisions about how to spend your time, don't let regret undermine your enthusiasm or steal your excitement. And please be safe out there.
Holidays (offbeat, writing, and otherwise) to embrace this month:
August 05 - Underwear Day
August 07 - National Lighthouse Day
August 08 - International Cat Day
August 09 - Book Lover's Day
August 11 - Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony
August 12 - Annual Perseid Meteor Shower (peak night varies) | National Vinyl Record Day
August 15 - Feast of the Assumption
August 18 - Bad Poetry Day
August 19 - World Photography Day
August 21 - National Poet's Day
August 30 - Frankenstein Day
Writer's block? Try this month's prompt!
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