Sunday Afternoon in Cambridge

Dear Reader,

Today is the very last day of summer. In Boston, the trees are starting to change colors and pumpkins can be spotted sitting outside of storefronts. Despite the change in scenery, the last day of summer was surprisingly summery! This is significant, because Boston was already getting cooler weather in the beginning of September. However, today the high was in the mid-80s and there was hardly a cloud in the sky.

Have you ever seen the painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” (aka the painting that Cameran stares into for a ghastly few moments in the Art Institute of Chicago montage in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”)? Well, today was one of those days that people paint about. A day where  young girls run through the grass, couples hold hands on a park bench, young men juggle a soccer ball, and a boy reads quietly beneath a tree. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the moment.

I personally like working on Sundays, because no one is at the office, which means that I can enjoy long periods of uninterrupted focus. However, today, staring outside of the large window, I felt like I was truly missing out on something by staying indoors. Interestingly enough, I had a rather cold summer. In my post “Summer, Summer Everywhere” I mentioned how summer in different locations including Iceland and Monterey, California doesn’t exactly mean 80 degrees and sunny. My travels to these places and also Scotland over the summer, meant that my summer days were much cooler on average, to put it mildly. In fact, in Iceland I ended up buying a hat and gloves and in Scotland I caught a cold.

Summers in Boston can be oppressive with the humidity, however, today’s weather was so good, one would even consider it to be “nice.” I kid, because people often describe very beautiful and pleasant things with such simple words such as “good” or “nice.” Today was a good reminder to enjoy good things while they last. There’s no reason for me to sit in an office all-day on Sunday, when I’m sure to go first thing in the morning on Monday. It’s nice to go outside and feel comfortable in your own skin, not needing to worry about windchill, rain, or freezing temperatures. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, my boyfriend and I decided to meet up in Cambridge to enjoy the weather and sit in front of the Public Library. Afterwards, we also ventured to Russell House Tavern in Harvard Square to enjoy dinner by a large open window. Nothing about today was particularly great, however, all of the beautiful little moment– at the park, restaurant, and then later at home–make the whole greater than any one part. Sometimes, all that you need, Dear Reader, is a nice Sunday afternoon.

Love, 

Raven