Lately I’ve been spending nights on my balcony. It’s been unseasonably warm, and yes I am about to complain about it. I don’t like the summer heat but can accept it is a part of the season. But when autumn comes around, and quite frankly when September does, I begin to get impatient. If I could I would wear sweaters and pants with big wooly socks and slippers all year round. Sure I’d get lots of looks but who of us hasn’t seen those few bold ones who wear shorts in winter? I guess it’s a good thing I live in Canada, so I get that that opportunity and sometimes if I’m lucky it’s extended an extra few weeks into the summer.
The days have been a little to warm for me. I know I am not part of the majority here, but I like what I like. But during the day isn’t my favourite time anyway so I can’t complain much. All I need to do is to wait a little after the suns gone down and enjoy the moonlight. But if I’m being honest, the thing that really made me come out has been the sound of a new resident to our building, a cricket. I am not a adventurous nature lover, I’ve never been camping or hiking and wouldn’t be upset if I never do, but I do enjoy the nighttime and always have. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not a inside dweller much either, I just prefer the nighttime when there seems to be so much more beauty and quiet. When most are on their way to bed, tucked away warm and cozy I like to head outside with my tea and just think or like tonight- write. Just thought I should mention that I am drinking out of an awesome Halloween mug, I’m definitely a fall person.
It’s kind of a funny thing how some of us have our imaginings of what a perfect day would be, and how those differ from person to person. I don’t know when my love of night started but trace it back to a very young age, just spending it on my beloved swing set in my backyard, which to this day I still miss. But, maybe one day I’ll be able to get one for my children and hopefully they grow up with fond memories like myself.
But I digress, there have been few moments up until now for me to partake in my favourite past time. It has been a long while coming and made we wonder how it all began. Sometimes we don’t even know how we got started doing something it’s been so long, it just comes so naturally to us and the thought process seems to stop there. I cannot recall when it started or why, but I guess I can say what 8 or 9 year old won’t try anything to get out of going to bed. When we grow older we realize when we’re young, we are a lot smarter and more worldly than we know or some adults want to give us credit for.
What I know now is that I hope I never lose this. I hope as I grow older I continue to love being outside at night with a tea and I am given and take as many beautiful nights of these as I can. I do owe this one to the cricket though, a small and to some but not myself, an insignificant creature, would be the one to remind me to come outside. Even as I lay in bed at night, the sound of that cricket calms me and takes me away.
As I have said many times and will no doubt say again, it’s so important to do things for ourselves. To have something that we can always turn to and for it to be within our reach. For us to be the ones to do it and whether we decide to share it or not, that we remain true to it. Maybe now I’m getting a little closer to where I can see where this came from. There is a quote which I have always loved, from an amazing young lady, who lived a short life but knew well beyond her years and who I hope is never forgotten, Anne Frank.
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.” Anne Frank
That quote I have loved for many years and in reflection is the inspiration for this post. We are more often than not, disconnected from our world, we forget where we are and how truly blessed we are. This amazing young girl learned something in her short life that many will never learn. So yes, this time I am asking anyone who takes the time to read this to try it. Put the phone away, have no distractions, maybe put on some music if you’d like, but try to listen to the outside and nothing but. The sounds of nature, and yes that cricket again, can’t be matched. It’s a beautiful world that we live in, a beautiful country and a beautiful life that I have been given. So to those who read this, I hope that you take my advice and the words of Anne Frank to heart and go outside. Just be one with nature for a little bit, I think we owe it ourselves and to Mother Earth, who gifts us everyday with another sun and moon.
Until next time…
This Millennials Dilemma 