What the Last Weeks of Summer Can Offer

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“Summer always overstays its welcome by about a month,” my colleague Elizabeth Bruenig wrote last week.

“After the Fourth of July, which has its charms, nothing but a stretch of relentless heat lies ahead, reaching toward Labor Day, and I begin to yearn for fall.” That yearning is reflected in American consumer culture: “By mid-August, grocery stores are stocking their shelves with autumnal goods—pumpkin-pie Pop-Tarts, cinnamon-maple Frosted Flakes, pumpkin-spice cinnamon rolls in pressurized cardboard tubes.” This early push to transition into fall can make us lose sight of what’s so special about the season we’re in now.

For Bruenig, it’s accompanying her children on adventures and watching them play freely.

For others, it might be spending more time with loved ones, travelling, or enjoying the simple pleasure of ice cream (although it is my personal belief that ice cream has no seasonal limits).

Today’s newsletter explores how to make the most of the end of summer—without putting too much pressure on yourself to do it perfectly.

If Only This Could Last Forever By Elizabeth Bruenig Summer is the worst season of all, and also the most beautiful.

Read the article.

An Easy Summer Project Worth Doing By Elaine Godfrey Finding small moments of joy can make every day feel—at least a little—like vacation. ( From 2025 ) Read the article.

You Can Do Leisure Better, Seriously By Arthur C.

Brooks If you think of personal time only as “not work,” you could be missing out on truly enriching experiences. ( From 2025 ) Read the article.

Still Curious? Go for a walk : In 2021, Arthur C.

Brooks recounted what he learned about transcendence from a very boring 100-mile trek.