love letter to summer
music heals me, gym heals me, flowers heal me, reading heals me, cooking heals me, my blanket heals me, etc. what heals you?
“hey, how was your summer?”
i recently realized that so many things go unrecorded. we rush to enjoy, rush to experience, and rush to move past, living hurriedly and busily. we must channel our energy, magnified a thousandfold, to truly live and cherish every second of the present.
as a seattle native, i used to detest rainy days. so much to the point that each one would cast me into a familiar state of mind: ominous black clouds churning above, soon to be followed by the relentless drumming of raindrops. that feeling of being swallowed by the gloom and the suffocating pressure of the heavy atmosphere, sometimes conjuring apocalyptic visions in my mind. the sound of rain hitting the windows would tell me it was raining again. but as i listened to the rain and let my thoughts wander, only then could i truly appreciate the tranquility of a rainy day.
but now, i've come to cherish rainy days, especially those soft, gentle drizzles. it feels as if the entire world is suddenly wrapped in tranquility, with only the tender whisper of rain. listening to white noise, relishing freshly baked delights, sipping a warm cup of coffee; my little room and life brim with contentment. when it rains, it seems as though all my worries wash away with the raindrops. outside, the world is a painting of gentle showers, while inside, my world is a blank canvas of serenity and coziness.
these recent days have been like a gentle breeze. it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is so soothing and warm about them, perhaps it's just their simplicity. the simpleness of chatting with friends during our leisurely strolls, the calmness of holding a newly acquired umbrella after the rain, the peacefulness of enjoying a perfectly prepared meal, and the serenity of drifting into dreams after finishing a book.
i've grown to deeply cherish the solitude of doing work alone in a cafe by my gym. after the last ppt slide is submitted, i drive home with a box of crumbl cookies, car speaker playing my favorite album by daniel caesar. beyond the music, i can hear the gentle whispers of the wind and the soft rustling of leaves. the amber streetlights filter through the branches, casting delicate patterns on the ground. the moon and clouds dance in a playful game of hide-and-seek, while teenagers bring out their phones and capture that moment. there's no need to rant to anyone about my tedious tasks anymore; i simply immerse myself in the street views, the music, and the sensation of days gently morphing into summer.
though many dreams may dissolve into disappointment, my spring is imbued with deep shades of hope, and perhaps, all these hues will eventually be filled with blissful joys of life.
i’m about to finish my internship- thank god because i absolutely hate it… (definitely not suited for the corporate investment banking world.) but that means i can wake up without hurry more, spend more afternoons binge watching new dramas, impulsively drive to a new restaurant that looked good on yelp more, and facetime my friends while pooping more.
these are the serene moments that make up my days, each one simple yet infinitely precious.
indeed, i find that all my happiness springs from the heartbeat of everyday life. like strolling down the street at dusk, the sky still aglow, the lamps already lit, and the speakers from passing cars filling the air with music. under the amber streetlights, pedestrians step on fallen leaves, heading home with unhurried steps. this is what they call the essence of city life, the everyday hustle and bustle, feeling as if even the air is saturated with fulfillment.
i still long for each tranquil evening, especially those captured moments of sunsets on my phone. well, they aren’t meant for anyone's eyes but my own. the sunsets do not belong to me, yet in those fleeting moments, they are solely mine. each instance lived purely for myself holds a bittersweet joy, a happiness tinged with melancholy.
i still cherish the twilight moments of the evening. the twilight after a tempest is the most enchanting. the sun, long obscured by ominous clouds, suddenly reappears, generously bestowing its final warmth. sunbeams catch the edges of clouds, igniting them in a blaze of fiery hues. i always yearn to see it more vividly; though it's just at the horizon, it often hides behind buildings, leaving me with a poignant sense of loss as i cannot witness the full expanse of the sky. if i had the chance, i would live in a house where i could see the twilight. on a leisurely evening during a vacation, i wouldn't need to step outside to savor its beauty. a brief, tranquil gaze from within would suffice.
in my long-winded way, what i hope to say, is to just portion your time lovingly—sleep deeply, lose yourself in books and dramas, go to the gym, commune with the flowers, birds (i actually hate animals with beaks but for the vibes i’ll include them), trees, and the grand expanse of nature. dedicate your moments to the passions that set your heart ablaze, instead of frittering them away on the mundane and the tedious.
when you begin to seize the reins of your time, you'll discover a quiet strength flowing through the calm rhythms of life. those nagging anxieties and restless thoughts will naturally fade away, like mist lifting in the morning sun.