Dear reader,

I’ve always quite loved November. I am fond of the sunrises that greet me, most every morning, on my way to school. November is, to me, a month of self-reflection – and melancholy, in a way, too. Because, so many of the lovely things that greet me day-to-day will be lost so soon.

Especially with finals a-brew, I know I must relish such gifts that’ll leave me, before I know it. Soon, my dog will need her pink winter jacket, my house will find itself cold, and the trees, bare, will need a sweater. The Saint Lawrence will freeze over. And, my lattes will switch from iced to hot.

But with such metamorphosis, comes our ability to remember all of the old things that have brought us such joys! And this shift may be quite dramatic, if you’ll let it. Orion and I did just that with our playlist: an amalgamation of our forgotten favourites. Because, it’s November; let yourself love the many things of your past. Let yourself love, again!

Cosy up with yourself, forgive. Spend time with loved ones. Re-learn an old hobby. Immerse yourself in tactile things. Be in nature. Live! With a year nearly at rest, comes time to remember everything that went right. Everything learned. Cling to that. Be proud of yourself. Kind to yourself. Think of all the lessons you may bring into the new year. Remember what brought you love.

Yours,

Chloe

Dearest Gentle Reader,

November is an in-between month. A temporal liminal space best described by what it is not. I think of it like the climb up to the attic. Carrying up the vestiges of a Halloween just past, precariously stepping on an untrustworthy ladder. Every step up groans and creaks under the strain of the end of a holiday.

Once up there all you can remember is why you’re never up there in the first place. It’s covered in dust and the only sound is the faint scritches of mice hidden within the bric-a-brac. Dropping the overflowing box of costumes as gingerly as possible. You now have to stand there and consider whether it is too early to bring down the next batch of decorations.

One exists in November purely to wait around for it to be done: for the semester to come to a close, for the next thing to be excited about. One must find small things to bring a little light back as the days get shorter and darker. Perhaps set up a new piece of decoration out every day or week. Light a special scent when you’re getting ready. Learn and practice some recipes in preparation for the holiday season. Get in early on your gift shopping.

Find enjoyment in the inbetween, it is a moment of rest before the storm of the end. In this dust-covered month try to remember the good things coming up ahead, get cozy and enjoy this penultimate issue of the semester.

With Love,

Orion