I am in Bath, England. It is a beautiful summery day, and I see a sea of colourful floral dresses pass me as the glorious sun shines down on us.
I have a gorgeous airy apartment in the city with high ceilings and a reading nook in a huge window. The seat that outlines the window is covered in luxurious fluffy pillows, and the Sandstone apartment is full of vintage elements, crown moulding, paisley patterns, and vases of freshly picked flowers.
I spend the early morning hours drinking Earl Grey tea and eating blueberry scones with jam and clotted cream by the window, and by 9 am, I cuddle up into the window seat with my book – preferably some Jane Austen – and a furry grey cat with blue eyes, and I sit there, dreaming. I read away in a beautiful old-fashioned summer frock, and eventually, I decide to pack up some wine, cheese, and baguette, and hop on my super cute bike.
I stroll through town, pick up a friend along the way, and ride into the beautiful countryside. We lay out a picnic; I put on my wide-brimmed straw summer hat; we pick at a container of fresh grapes; and I open up my book once more.
I lie on this lovely blanket, looking up at a sky filled with clouds and sunshine, and I imagine the characters in my book, my future, and I smell the flowers around me. Everything is so fresh, and my companion is sleeping soundly beside me.
Nothing in the world matters. Deadlines are far away, and all I need to think about is the present. I am not feeling pressure to do anything, so I just allow myself to be. My phone is left on airplane mode and out of sight. I switch between books, engaging in different stories and worlds, allowing myself not to rush, but to luxuriate in whatever tale satisfies me most on this day. I spread pieces of thick fresh bread with brie, and I look at the marks left in the cheese when I take a bite – chubby slabs of brie make me the happiest. In between chapters and naps, my friend and I chat about our lives, what we’re learning about each other and ourselves, and we listen to one another and the world around us.
It is bliss.