finding myself again

As the last days of summer quietly fade away, I find myself feeling… strangely okay. Maybe I’m just trying to soften it for myself. Before this break even began, back when I had just wrapped up my second year of university, I already knew deep down that this would be my last “real” summer. The final one where I could live freely, do whatever I wanted without too much weight on my shoulders. Because ten years from now, this version of freedom will no longer exist. I’ll likely be working, maybe in a busy city full of noise and pressure, living a fast-paced life where rest becomes a luxury.

So I treated this summer like a cocoon which is a quiet, safe space where I could grow. I allowed myself to retreat inward, to nurture my soul, and care for my body. I stayed close to home, spent time with my family, and accepted the kind of love I had often brushed aside. I returned to my hometown, a place I hadn’t visited in years, and somehow, I found a kind of peace I didn’t realize I’d been missing. Northern Vietnam gave me that stillness, warmth, and the kind of silence that teaches you to listen to your own heart.

I also took care of myself in ways I hadn’t before. I worked out so consistently it felt like I was preparing for a competition. I finally watched all those movies I’d been collecting: romance, action, animation: each one a little gift to my inner child. I read, too. Philosophy, fiction, love stories, and deep psychological pieces. Every page taught me something new, and every quiet moment with a book felt like an act of love toward myself.

But perhaps the most important part of this summer was how much time I spent alone. I walked alone, ate alone, thought alone. And in those moments, I wasn’t lonely; I was learning how to enjoy my own company. I started talking to myself with kindness. I started treating myself like someone worth caring for. And I started to love who I was becoming.

This was one of the most meaningful summers of my life. Not because I traveled far or did something loud or spectacular, but because I returned to myself. And even if there were days where I had only myself by my side and somehow, that was more than enough.