EverStill: Into the Light—Reflections for a New Season
Snippets and scribbles to spark introspection and intention this Summer.
Summer holds restless memory.
Some days I rotted on the floor of my room, staring at the ceiling fan, waiting for the moment to capture my favorite song on the radio for some mixtape.
Others, I lay supine on the manicured lawn under a tree that no longer stands. I stared at the clouds in between branches, deciding if they were a bunny or a monster. Idly, I plucked grass blades, ripping them at the seams like the string cheese packed in sack lunches. Even today, I can conjure the sun's heat on my face, the way I’d raise a hand to shield it. I can hear the backing soundtrack of my sisters laughing, the sprinklers spitting, the cicadas humming.
School-age summers taught me boredom. When was the last time I was bored?
Back then, my mind weaved its way in and out of thoughts, ordinary and strange. The mosquitoes swallowed me; the heat evaporated me. I gave way to them. I imagined myself shedding, composting in the Earth’s crust. I pictured how I’d reemerge in the fall; I’d be someone new. I’d leave behind the remnants of the grade before.
Time was marked by repetition—Sundays in the church pew, the 4th of July going boom, some road trip, scattering sunflower seeds, watching them bloom. The rest blurred into daydreams, running through the woods or inhabiting books.
I was idle. I was restless. I was boredom personified.
It’s been decades since those Summers, but I still feel the rhythm of their pull.
I feel the ache to let go of what's happened, what’s stagnant, what’s holding me back. I feel the ache to melt into the Earth’s crust. I feel the ache to frolic barefoot in the grass. I feel the ache to empty my mind—staring at the ceiling, staring at the sky.
Summer symbolizes new beginnings and nature’s abundance. The season of light and warmth ushers in reflection, composting, reinvention. It’s my perfect moment to burn what’s no longer needed and set intentions for what’s to come.
Since writing is how I make sense of my thoughts, I pulled relics from my journals to cobble together the following questions, should they help you in this season of release and renewal.
Reflections for the Golden Stretch
Ripeness & Release
What’s come full circle lately—something you can finally wrap up, celebrate, or let go of?
What no longer feels aligned, even if it once felt sweet or nourishing?
What are you clinging to out of habit, not desire?
Rebirth & Becoming
What’s something true about you that you haven’t had space to express?
What would you try if you trusted your timing?
What rhythms or rituals help you feel alive in the warmth of summer?
Memory & Meaning
What summer memory holds unexpected wisdom or ache?
What did your younger self love about this season? What did they long for?
When did you last feel like yourself, fully and deeply? What do you remember about the scene—place, scent, sound, people?
Create a Light Mantra
Use one or more of the prompts to free write. As your thoughts find their natural end, go back and circle the words that feel emotional, repetitive, or resonant.
Leverage those words to identify a mantra, intention, or promise to yourself for the Summer. Write out a few short phrases in the present tense; you can revisit these as a way to stay grounded and aspirational.
Here are the bits and pieces from my reflection.
In this season, I’m soft. I don’t rush what’s unfolding. Like my sunflowers, I’ll bloom at my natural pace. I’m in a state of becoming, even if it’s hidden by layers of heat and mosquitoes. Eventually, I’ll give way to the freshness of Fall.
In the meantime, I’ll be bored. I’ll be basking. I’ll be brewing.
XoXo,
Courtney
EverStill is a monthly dose of reflection prompts and pieces of my journal. I truly believe in the power of writing as a way to understand how you think, how you feel, and who you are.