08/12/2026: The Quiet That Follows

Just like that, a full week that I’ve been looking forward to is already gone. As I sit in the quiet that follows after time with family, I pack away the happy memories for a later day and try to get back into the regular swing of things. 

Even though I haven’t done any writing or work for a while, I’m still dragging my feet this morning and thinking about all the fun I’ve had in the meantime. It’s hard to fill that silence and emptiness that was just filled with laughter and doing things with everyone for a week straight. It makes me wish that we had more reasons to gather often even though that’s just not the norm. That’s why I always savor those rare opportunities to come together and forget our differences and worries and just laugh and enjoy each other’s company.

Now the summer is winding down and everyone is getting back to their lives. The kids are back to school, everyone’s back to work, and we don’t know when we’ll have another excuse to gather again until the next major holiday. But we’ll always have a week of carefree bliss together, and I’ll ride that wave for a long time. After a day of retreating into myself yesterday, I’m full speed ahead on my writing goals. I’ve got a couple weeks to make up for—not including this past one—so I hope to be in a better place hour and productivity wise after this week is over. 

I always feel disoriented when the scales aren’t balanced. Lately I’ve been exhausted and uninspired, but I’m over the moon about being able to contribute again, and some other things I’ve been working on are slowly coming to fruition as well. Hopefully soon I’ll start seeing the product of my hard work and passion, and things will start to look up even higher than they already are. 

I hope to get back out and work and surpass my previous goals as I get ready for the last half of August, which is full of plans and potential birthday shenanigans now that other birthdays and obligations have come and gone. I hope that this brain fog I’ve been trapped under will begin to clear soon, that I can find balance in the things I love and the things I know I want and need to do. I hope that soon I’ll burst through that mental wall that’s holding me back from my next chapter of greatness, and I hope that there’s something good on the other side.  

But today, I’m just going to give myself grace and celebrate showing up when all I want to do is curl up and think about all those memories that I packed away for another day. I’m going to take care of myself as best I can physically and mentally, and I’m going to rest and prepare for a productive workday tomorrow. 

As I turn the volume back up on all the normal channels of my day to day routine, I hope that the quiet after the end of things gradually starts fading into the background so I can devote myself to the things I’ve sorely missed.