Is today The Day: springtime in London
Londoners seem to pause their lives after the clocks stop saving daylight in October. The mood turns bleak as people lose familiarity with the appearance of the sun, and single people reluctantly “cuff” themselves to whoever they are seeing before the winter hibernation. There are brief interludes of joy during the dazzling Christmas parties and Après on the European ski slopes, but otherwise people are waiting for better days to come. Or really just one day.
The Day is the first day in spring when the sky illuminates into a blistering blue, the sun is jubilant and the hay fever sufferers spray projectiles of snot into the air as they walk, sneezing but grinning, to work. By lunchtime, every inch of grass in the city is filled with people eating on picnic blankets. Some will be at work the next day posing as embarrassed lobsters.
In the afternoon, around 4pm, the work-day ends, or at least it would seem that way. The pubs spew people onto the cobblestone pavements, beers clutched in hand. Only the unstaffed finance bros are still wearing gilets (the cute European word for vests), and people are merry. Drinks are enjoyed long into the bright night.
From The Day on, we will experience a tumultuous late spring and summer of heatwaves, rain and potentially some errant hail, but for the most part the good days are here. Life begins again. Everyone is throwing a rooftop party. The cuffs from the winter can finally come off.
I knew today wouldn’t be The Day but I dressed optimistically anyway. My physio asked me if I knew it wasn’t summer yet and still just 7 degrees outside. I knew.
I love the summer as much as anyone, but I don’t want my life to stop just because the weather doesn’t agree with my plans. Today I walked for twenty minutes in a blossoming Hyde Park and I put in an offer on a house to rent. Also today, my cousin got married. Her dress sparkled in the afternoon light when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds for a moment. Tonight, I’m going out with my friends in London, though mercifully we will be indoors.
While today was not the day I would lock in my new home (I was outbid a few hours later), I’m not taking it as a sign to keep wait for The Day to start enjoying myself. I’m living for Every Day instead.