smells like: blackberries, sage, mint

You’re sitting with a friend as the heat of a sweltering summer day gives way to a warm breeze. The bees buzz lazily among the blackberry bushes, drunk on nectar. You can smell the herbal depth of sage in the air as you twirl sprigs of mint in your drink, clinking ice cubes and the honeyed sounds of your friend’s voice blending.

You know there aren’t many nights like tonight-full of this magic, this connection, this sweetness and juice and joy - like sheer mercy- right to your porch swing. The sun sinks lower in the sky, casting a gorgeous purple hue across an open field. All you can do is whisper a prayer of thankfulness and beg for the grace to stay present. Right here, right now, for as long as you can.

“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.” -Wallace Stevens