Today is the Summer Solstice, and an inexplicable joy has quietly risen within me.
As the temperature surges and a heavy rain quickly follows, a flood of beautiful memories rushes in all at once.
The summers I carry in my memory are always filtered through a soft, golden-hour haze.
And with them come so many things: the damp-fresh pavement after rain, drinks sweating cold beads of condensation, barbecue smoke drifting along every street corner, bicycle bells ringing through patches of shade, the crisp coolness of a swimming pool, all-night sessions at the internet café, marinated edamame and chicken feet, the pinging of QQ notifications, carefree days without a worry in the world, parents who hadn’t yet grown old — and that one person from school.
All of this, together, is what beautiful memory is made of.
Youth — it’s something truly extraordinary.
So today, let’s take a rest. No talk of the messy complications of adult life, or the things that weigh on the heart.
If any of this stirs something in you, feel free to share your own summer memories in the comments. Think of it as a late-night chat among friends — easy, warm, and unhurried.