One of my favorite times of year is between seasons. The way the temperatures become nearly perfect between summer and fall in the Midwest is one of the absolute best feelings, especially as a southern girl used to 90-degree weather well after fall starts. However, for some reason, people want to pull out the pumpkin spice lattes as early as July, even though the fall equinox is not until late September. They want to rush into having the next season, the next phase, and the one we have to blame isn’t a person or even a group of people.
Of course, this is not personally directed at pumpkin spice latte lovers, but at corporations such as Starbucks and Hobby Lobby that want to rush into the next season before the one we are in has barely begun. Consumerism is what we have to blame for the lack of “stop and smell the roses” messaging we see these days. By July, you can walk into any Hobby Lobby and inhale the scent of pinecones and Christmas decor upon entering. Summer merchandise goes out in January and February, about the time people are sick of being cold or are just plain ready for a new change.
Being both southern and one of the last 10-year-olds to grow up without smartphones all around me, I believe that I appreciate the things that take time a bit more than those around me sometimes. I relate more to the older generations at times than I do to people in Gen Z or younger. If you’ve ever heard the Miranda Lambert song “Automatic,” that’s a pretty good start to the way I feel about people rushing through what feels like their entire life lately.
When it comes to planning vacations for people, I embody this energy when I curate itineraries even for the busiest travelers. Hell, I even love to go, go, go. But the truth is, I love to experience a place, moment, or season to the fullest. My clients appreciate this about me and the way I design their itineraries. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to beautifully intertwine seeing it all without rushing through the day. Before my clients hire me, we chat via a Zoom call, and I am able to set their expectations beforehand on what the ideal pace will be.
I’ll admit that I find myself rushing through the week far more often than I would care to. After all, a side effect of consumerism is working more and more, and no one seems to relish constantly having to work, including me, no matter how much I love the things that I get to do for a living. This is not an article pretending that I am a veteran of slow-living, but rather a yearner of a society that values such things more.
So maybe I am saying all of this to say: this is my battle cry. My petition. My Roman Empire. The hill I am dying on. I love experiencing every last drop of summer, and I am tired of the damn pumpkin spice lattes trying to rush me through it, especially the best part: the in-between.
