I’m Thankful That We Are Between May and December
Did you know that with some practice, you can romanticize the present?
Even though I’m a very nostalgic person, it’s been hard for me to look back fondly on memories that occurred between January and April. Even though I’m always changing my opinions on this sort of thing, I very strongly prefer May to December lately.
I enjoy seeing people outside, savouring the moisture on my skin when I step outside, and embracing the calm air when I come inside. Summer feels so casual and relaxed, from the sun pouring through my windows to the carefree seasonal clothing. Even May and September provide some of these qualities, though not to the extent of June, July, and August.
I used to despise autumn, but I have come to cherish its refreshing breezes, calm dark evenings, and exciting festivities. Signs of winter start to appear in December, and the idea of winter doesn’t sound so bad at this point, especially since December winter really isn’t all that bad. But what follows a dull and lifeless next four months.
So I spend much of that part of the year reflecting on the happy memories of May to December. By the time it rolls by again, my anticipation is through the roof, and I’m wanting to make sure I embrace it in the same way as when I’m reminiscing about it from January to April. This is where romanticizing the present comes in.
By that, I don’t mean forgetting about present challenges and mundanity. I mean figuring out the things that you will look back fondly upon in the future, using this knowledge to gain a sense of how your future self will feel about the present, and then satisfying those yearnings by enjoying the moment. I wasn’t successful with this method when I first tried it. I realized that my romanticizations of the present did not match up with how I would feel about it a year later. But as I would eventually gain a greater understanding of how nostalgia works for me, I would start to experience good times from the perspective of my future self.
So now that it is August, I have been really trying to hold onto what I can, big or small. It feels like a perfect payoff for how I felt about it from January to April.
@robertporter also writes about enjoying the present in “5 Reasons Why Walking The Same Route Every Day Never Bores Me.”
