Today marks the beginning of the end of the summer. It does not mean that summer is over, but it means that it is time to close the doors to wild nights of warm weather, white dress parties, and the Red, White and Blue fireworks that need no holiday to light up the sky. Labor Day essentially is a day off of work to celebrate all the hard work you do, but for me, it means something so different.
Labor Day marks the end and the beginning. I always set summer goals. I always have dreams of what my summer will be filled with. Firecracker kisses on the 4th of July, romantic strolls in the warm summer nights. Ice cream drips on the beach, and romantic encounters of spontaneity in the city. Once upon a time, summer was that. Summer was light and held no weight. Summer was a season off of school, was random trips to adventure parks and beaches far from home. Summer was vacations, fireworks, and ice cream socials. But then we all grow up, and summer no longer is 10 weeks of fun and lighthearted care free activities.
Summer is a season. Officially this year, summer just became another season for me as I entered the trenches of the glass office doors workforce. I was hired on at my dream job, I bought my first piece of property, I looked at buying my second car. I became a full fledged adult this year, and with it came the loss of summer. Or at least the symbolism of it all. It’s not the first summer I have worked, but the its the first summer where I have had to spend it working regular hours.
This summer gave me something to look forward to though. This summer gave me the opportunity to reflect. I was given the chance to observe my surroundings, take a hard look at my life, and celebrate the blessings in which I have been given.
I found a different side of myself this summer. I learned the importance of human relations, I found the importance of physical touch, I was inspired to find time in my life, and I learned the benefits of sacrifice, selfishness, and smiling.
I sacrificed my heart this summer. I sacrificed a burning desire to be everything. I sacrificed the one thing I craved so much, perfection. For as long as I can remember, perfection has been my goal. I have wanted nothing more than to be the everything that I saw on television, read about in magazines, and assumed was what made up the perfect woman. Instead I took what God has given me, and accepted it, and decided I should work on me. Improve myself, improve the person I already am, and essentially, become the perfect version of myself.
I have a lot going for me. I am young, vibrant, successful. I am independent, enthusiastic, and loyal. I have an amazing job, an amazing home, and an even more amazing sense of style. I was blessed with great friends, laughter and love. And while I have given up a dead end relationship to pursue happiness, I can not regret it, because I have no reason too. I sulked, I cried, I was heartbroken and had to move forward, but when I did, I came out new and happier, and with a different perspective on what life had to offer. In my case, a lot. A promotion came, a pay raise, a new car, and a new perspective. Summer is coming to a close, and with it, closes the door on a season, but it opens my door to the opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity to find myself, and better myself for the next stage of my career, and ultimately, my life.
The Jayne Project 