With smoke in the skies here today, my heart is heavy with sorrow, but your keen reminder of "active hope" helps me to summer with joy and do what I can where I can. Thank you Christine, this was such a lovely restful read. <3
I am currently not in a wildfire area, but even seeing the trees letting their leaves hang makes me grieve for the state of the world. I hope the air will clear again soon where you are. Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so glad that it was a restful read for you. People like you give me hope for the future, that things can change for the better, even in the darkest times, and that something new will flourish out of the ruins of what doesn’t work anymore. Wishing you joy this summer 💛
I enjoyed reading this text, many of the thoughts resonate. Yes, we are seasonal and imperfect, and this is fine too :-) I am actually also a more winter and autumn person, heat does not agree with me so well. And it is also true that time has come - with the climate changing - to take more care of each other and of the non humans. The other day I got so upset walking some shop where they had planted two huge sunflowers in wood boxes, but it was closed and nobody watered those flowers, they were dying ... In this world, there is this relentless drive for perfection and optimization, but this does not save anybody from whatever is destined to them. But our adaptation capacity should still be able to serve us well if we direct it properly.
Thank you for reading my text and taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment, Elena. I am glad to hear that my words resonated. What you said is so true, I often see how disconnected we have become in my walks around the neighbourhood. For example, there has been so much litter in our parks and in the forest lately. It makes me sad, just like those sunflowers you saw. These are signs of a deeper problem. But I definitely want to believe that we can still turn things around, that we can adapt and change course. There are more and more people feeling like we do. Maybe the old structures need to crumble, before we can rebuild anew.
You are welcome, Christine. Well, since we cannot change the way we think and we can only generate more of the same :-) So long humans are around there is hope, I guess.
I also just wrote about the heatwaves while I boiled in my attic apartment! A tough time to endure at the moment.
But in the midst of this relentless heat, my little urban balcony has become a sanctuary—a place where nature quietly reminds me that even the hardest seasons hold moments of renewal and hope.
Thank you, Kobrini, I am so glad my words resonated with you. 💛I am so sorry you are also in an attic apartment. I love that you have a little urban balcony though, almost like your own little island to rest and watch nature bloom and adapt, even in difficult conditions.
I loved this. "Maybe it's not summer I struggle with, but the pace we're expected to keep" stayed with me. Every season seems to come with its own expectations, but perhaps the real freedom is allowing ourselves to move at our own rhythm instead. Thank you for this beautiful reflection.
It makes me very happy that my post resonated with you. I love the way you put it: "Every season seems to come with its own expectations, but perhaps the real freedom is allowing ourselves to move at our own rhythm instead. " Very true. Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Tatiani. (By the way, your Substack name is beautiful. It almost sounds like the beginning of a poem).
Beautiful and thought-provoking. My relationship to summer has changed over the years, but I've always found I have the most energy in spring. But yes, each season needs its rhythm; the relentless pace of modern life, which asks us to ignore the seasons altogether, is harming all of us.
Thank you, Kamsin, I appreciate your comment. You expressed it perfectly: "...the relentless pace of modern life, which asks us to ignore the seasons altogether, is harming all of us." I wholeheartedly agree.
My relationship with the seasons has changed as well, and still keeps changing. I suppose it depends on many factors, such as the phase that we are in ourselves, where we are located and if the markers of the seasons themselves are changing. I love mild summer days, blue skies, clouds, a breeze, but get overwhelmed by the heat. My relationship to spring has changed for the better. While I am comfortable with winter, I always feel ready for the first crocuses and the snow to melt by February. When spring arrives, with its first bright green leave unfurling, it always seems like a relief, like a reawakening. I wonder what spring feels like in Singapore?
We don’t get seasons in Singapore. December through March can be very wet and overcast but even then it’s still 25 degrees (Celsius) plus.
It’s interesting because you have to look for the human made signs of season change - the festivals and events that mark the year or you forget which month it is.
But since it’s hot all year round it can feel relentless, there’ no natural pause or rest time.
Thank you for coming on this walk with me and for your kind words (that are just as lyrical!), Cynthia. I love knowing that we both write "alone together", as Beth Kempton puts it.
It’s so true, Christine… We are in our little spaces but never completely separate as we write together in Beth’s group, what miraculous corner of the internet!
What a beautiful and immersive article about the desire to live with the seasons, Christine! Here in Finland, I too do my best to live with the seasons, preferring spring and summer over winter, although also looking forward to autumn. All the best with the heatwave! 41° outside/ 33° inside?!.... my God I would die!
I can't wait to see your photos and posts of Finland in autumn! I've always wanted to visit. Thank you for your lovely comment and your share, it made my day. I believe where we are located and how the seasons are unfolding there, is a big factor. I imagine winters are quite long in Finland and summers milder than here in Germany? Then I would probably enjoy summering a lot more and perhaps winter would be more of a challenge. It's so interesting how the seasons and changes in nature influence us...
Yeah summers in Finland are milder, although we have also been known to have heatwaves and like a week of 29-31°. But it’s always just more temporary than in the rest of Europe. It’s noon here now and today it’s only 19° with grey skies and rain.. It’s not cold, but not warm either …
The parts that become the whole the light that can’t exist without darkness. Beautiful, thank you ✨
Thank you for this, and also for inspiring me to write through the light, the dark and the in-between 💛
With smoke in the skies here today, my heart is heavy with sorrow, but your keen reminder of "active hope" helps me to summer with joy and do what I can where I can. Thank you Christine, this was such a lovely restful read. <3
I am currently not in a wildfire area, but even seeing the trees letting their leaves hang makes me grieve for the state of the world. I hope the air will clear again soon where you are. Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so glad that it was a restful read for you. People like you give me hope for the future, that things can change for the better, even in the darkest times, and that something new will flourish out of the ruins of what doesn’t work anymore. Wishing you joy this summer 💛
Amen to this Christine. The prayer on my heart. Joy to you and so much gratitude!
I enjoyed reading this text, many of the thoughts resonate. Yes, we are seasonal and imperfect, and this is fine too :-) I am actually also a more winter and autumn person, heat does not agree with me so well. And it is also true that time has come - with the climate changing - to take more care of each other and of the non humans. The other day I got so upset walking some shop where they had planted two huge sunflowers in wood boxes, but it was closed and nobody watered those flowers, they were dying ... In this world, there is this relentless drive for perfection and optimization, but this does not save anybody from whatever is destined to them. But our adaptation capacity should still be able to serve us well if we direct it properly.
Thank you for reading my text and taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment, Elena. I am glad to hear that my words resonated. What you said is so true, I often see how disconnected we have become in my walks around the neighbourhood. For example, there has been so much litter in our parks and in the forest lately. It makes me sad, just like those sunflowers you saw. These are signs of a deeper problem. But I definitely want to believe that we can still turn things around, that we can adapt and change course. There are more and more people feeling like we do. Maybe the old structures need to crumble, before we can rebuild anew.
You are welcome, Christine. Well, since we cannot change the way we think and we can only generate more of the same :-) So long humans are around there is hope, I guess.
Read it twice and simply loved it.
Thank you, Jharna, this means a lot to me. Judging from your posts and shares, I have a feeling you might be a like-minded soul.
I resonated with your words so much 💚
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt thoughts!
I also just wrote about the heatwaves while I boiled in my attic apartment! A tough time to endure at the moment.
But in the midst of this relentless heat, my little urban balcony has become a sanctuary—a place where nature quietly reminds me that even the hardest seasons hold moments of renewal and hope.
Thank you, Kobrini, I am so glad my words resonated with you. 💛I am so sorry you are also in an attic apartment. I love that you have a little urban balcony though, almost like your own little island to rest and watch nature bloom and adapt, even in difficult conditions.
I loved this. "Maybe it's not summer I struggle with, but the pace we're expected to keep" stayed with me. Every season seems to come with its own expectations, but perhaps the real freedom is allowing ourselves to move at our own rhythm instead. Thank you for this beautiful reflection.
It makes me very happy that my post resonated with you. I love the way you put it: "Every season seems to come with its own expectations, but perhaps the real freedom is allowing ourselves to move at our own rhythm instead. " Very true. Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Tatiani. (By the way, your Substack name is beautiful. It almost sounds like the beginning of a poem).
Beautiful and thought-provoking. My relationship to summer has changed over the years, but I've always found I have the most energy in spring. But yes, each season needs its rhythm; the relentless pace of modern life, which asks us to ignore the seasons altogether, is harming all of us.
Thank you, Kamsin, I appreciate your comment. You expressed it perfectly: "...the relentless pace of modern life, which asks us to ignore the seasons altogether, is harming all of us." I wholeheartedly agree.
My relationship with the seasons has changed as well, and still keeps changing. I suppose it depends on many factors, such as the phase that we are in ourselves, where we are located and if the markers of the seasons themselves are changing. I love mild summer days, blue skies, clouds, a breeze, but get overwhelmed by the heat. My relationship to spring has changed for the better. While I am comfortable with winter, I always feel ready for the first crocuses and the snow to melt by February. When spring arrives, with its first bright green leave unfurling, it always seems like a relief, like a reawakening. I wonder what spring feels like in Singapore?
We don’t get seasons in Singapore. December through March can be very wet and overcast but even then it’s still 25 degrees (Celsius) plus.
It’s interesting because you have to look for the human made signs of season change - the festivals and events that mark the year or you forget which month it is.
But since it’s hot all year round it can feel relentless, there’ no natural pause or rest time.
Lyrical like a song-well sung, thank you for the close walk with nature…
Thank you for coming on this walk with me and for your kind words (that are just as lyrical!), Cynthia. I love knowing that we both write "alone together", as Beth Kempton puts it.
It’s so true, Christine… We are in our little spaces but never completely separate as we write together in Beth’s group, what miraculous corner of the internet!
What a beautiful and immersive article about the desire to live with the seasons, Christine! Here in Finland, I too do my best to live with the seasons, preferring spring and summer over winter, although also looking forward to autumn. All the best with the heatwave! 41° outside/ 33° inside?!.... my God I would die!
I can't wait to see your photos and posts of Finland in autumn! I've always wanted to visit. Thank you for your lovely comment and your share, it made my day. I believe where we are located and how the seasons are unfolding there, is a big factor. I imagine winters are quite long in Finland and summers milder than here in Germany? Then I would probably enjoy summering a lot more and perhaps winter would be more of a challenge. It's so interesting how the seasons and changes in nature influence us...
Yeah summers in Finland are milder, although we have also been known to have heatwaves and like a week of 29-31°. But it’s always just more temporary than in the rest of Europe. It’s noon here now and today it’s only 19° with grey skies and rain.. It’s not cold, but not warm either …