How to Hold on to the Joys of Summer

There is a jarring moment every summer, when I realize that it will not last forever.

April and May are purely anticipatory. June is glorious, with weeks & months spread before me.

Yet, around July 4th it hits me; summer is finite.

Its grace, its sun and its warmth are temporary.

From that point forward it’s difficult to refrain from counting the remaining months of mild weather. It becomes hard to ignore the changing blooms in my yard (how long has it been since the Lilacs?) or the barrage of swimwear sales — or the back-to-school commercials.

Damn it flies by quickly. Make no mistake, the end of summer will come knocking.

I’ll admit to some mixed feelings. The often oppressive humidity, frequent storms and ever-present pollen in the great lakes region are a challenge. (I root for a hard freeze once things start to turn.) Yet, I do love a beach vista, the noisy clan of morning birds outside my bedroom window, sitting on the patio with an occasional cocktail and watching the dog rolling in the grass to cool herself.

Summer has its moments.

Holding on to some of them — in some way — is tremendously worthwhile.

I’ve given this some thought. Here are a few ideas to do so:

• Collect mementos. If you have a penchant for sentimentality, collect objects that will remind you of the feelings that summer moments bring you. In my possession, you’ll find a wide range of these items from napkins to beach stones. It is all very personal (as it should be).
• Form traditions. If you love a certain summer destinations, make a plan to return. If you know others that would also love that place (and also enjoy their company) invite them for the following year. Looking forward to next year, keeps you somewhat in the mindset of this year.
• Dabble in hobby photography. Your perspective of the summer experience is unique. So, try to capture that essence in photographs. Start with your phone’s camera. You can always progress to improved equipment if you find the exercise worthwhile.
• Make mental notes & revisit them (often). We all have flashbacks to certain summer memories. These feelings can be quite vivid. If you find yourself standing in a moment that should be remembered — make mental notes about the finer points, including how it looked, how it sounded and how it all felt.
• Stick with Summer Reading (all year). There is a flavor to summer titles that can help us resubmerge into the feeling of summer. (We’ve gathered a few for you here.) Somehow the light & airy titles bring me back to that summer place.

Summer Reading Picks: From the NYT’s Bestseller List

Have another idea? Share it with the community.

The Tilbury Edit shares observations concerning a wide array of topics from founding a company — to the perfect gift. It is designed to share lessons learned from a variety of perspectives.