Hello August, hello early autumn days

(DN) - August has come. No need to look at the calendar, no need to listen to the weather report, just waking up one morning, opening the window and smelling a very light, very special scent in the air, I know that Autumn has come knocking on the door. Very faintly, but just like that, it creeps into my heart. Like someone just passed by my life, not having time to say a word but leaving a lingering feeling.

Photo: Internet

Hello August - the month of fragile changes. The sky has gradually stopped the sudden downpours like in July. The sun is no longer as bright as the red summer days. The wind is no longer hot and stuffy, but has begun to carry a bit of chill, light as if someone's hand accidentally brushed through the hair. The leaves are still green but some have begun to change color, silently falling as if knowing what is coming. I don't know why I always have a strange excitement every time autumn comes. Not as noisy as spring, not as passionate as summer, not as gloomy as winter, autumn is the season of maturing souls, old enough to know nostalgia, young enough to still dream. And August is the first greeting of autumn.

I once heard people say that August is the “in-between” month. Between the scorching heat and the coolness just enough to make you crave a cup of hot coffee. Between the lingering drizzle and the gentle autumn sunshine gradually filling in the gaps. Between the nameless worries and a few unfinished summer tasks. August is the month when we have not yet forgotten the hustle and bustle, and have not yet completely immersed ourselves in silence. So our hearts are wavering as if we are standing at the threshold, not knowing whether to continue or turn back to look one more time…

For me, autumn is always associated with very small things. It is the morning when I wash my face with cold water and feel my skin a little numb and cool. It is the time when I finish drying my clothes, the sun is no longer harsh but still has enough scent of newly washed clothes. It is when I go to work and pass by a familiar row of trees and suddenly see a few leaves fall, without sound, without warning, simply because their time on the branches has ended. Those small things add up to create a gentle feeling that only autumn has.

When I was little, every time August came, my mother would say: “This month is the month to prepare for the season of putting away thin clothes, take out long-sleeved shirts and iron them neatly, my child.” At that time, I just listened to listen, not paying attention. But now I understand. It’s not that my mother was afraid of the cold, but she always had the habit of preparing early for things to come. As if this life also needed to be ironed before continuing on another journey. I’ve also learned a little of that habit now. When August comes, I suddenly want to clean the house, wipe the window frames, and fold up old clothes. Sometimes for no reason, just because I want to do it. Perhaps that is also a very personal way of “welcoming the season” for each person.

My friend asked, “Why do I feel sad every time autumn comes, and I don’t know why?”. I didn’t answer right away, because I used to feel the same way. Autumn doesn’t make people sad, it just makes us slow down, listen more, and when we’re silent long enough, we start to remember. Remember things we’ve forgotten. Remember a pure love from our school days. Remember the old road we used to take every day. Remember relatives we haven’t seen in a long time. And sometimes, remember myself, the naive, dreamy version who writes a diary and believes that if you love sincerely, you will be loved back. Those are memories that don’t need to be clear, just need the right season to automatically come flooding back.

I like to drink tea on autumn days. Not milk tea, lemon tea or anything fancy, just a simple cup of hot tea. Sitting on the porch, watching the pale yellow sunlight fall sideways on the bougainvillea trellis, sipping each sip. The tea is not fragrant, but warm enough to make the heart feel peaceful. And autumn is the same, not bright enough to attract attention, but gentle enough to make you want to stay longer.

When August comes, I don’t expect much. I just hope my heart is light enough to catch the wind, calm enough to feel the scent of flowers and grass, and gentle enough not to let go of the days I’m living. If possible, let’s slow down a bit in the fall, so that each falling leaf is beautiful, each breeze has its own sound, and every morning when I wake up, I’m grateful that I’m still alive in the fall sky.

Ha Linh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/chao-nhe-yeu-thuong/202507/chao-thang-tam-chao-nhung-ngay-chom-thu-c2a1c3f/