Isn't August Over YET?!

Still over 3 weeks left to head out back to school. This feels like the longest summer I've ever been on. I don't think I will ever let myself have such a long summer anymore! I know that someday I'll want one just as long and relaxing when I'm busy working, but deep down, I'll know that it's not what I really need. I need to be productive to feel good about myself. Have I been this summer?
During the summer I've...
~gone to the beach almost every week
~gone to sleep early and awaken early (beginning of summer)
~looked for a job, nearly got one a couple times
~helped out grandparents and my other grandma
~stayed in Santa Monica
~saw many movies
~went camping with the family
~went camping with friends (got into an accident on the way home)
~my friend from Pennsylvania visited for a few days (went to SD and went to Sea World)
~hung out with Julie a lot (went to the OC fair, ran errands, beach, and a bunch of random stuff)
~a couple bonfires w/ "the asian gang"
~gone to sleep late and awaken late (now)

I know I've done a lot this summer, spent a lot of money, and had a lot of fun, but still. I would have enjoyed having a job and travel back east to see my friends from school.
I think I pretty much failed, miserably, at trying to read a lot this summer. I'm so disappointed in myself.

My Garden

I planted a seed one day. I cared for that seed for many days. It wasn't any more special than any other plant. It was more like a weed. Yet I continued to care for it. Other plants I've cared for have died within 6 months or 3 months. But for some reason this little seed, this weed, was different. Disappointingly, it was just like all the other plants. It grew like the other seeds, but not very tall. I didn't expect much from it, but when it disappointed me so, I was very saddened. I don't know why this weed made me feel so concerned about it. Then one day, out of no where, it DIED. I was so angry because I knew it was my fault but I don't know what I had done. So I threw it in the yard where I threw all the past plants. That spot was the driest and ugliest part of my yard. Like the others I gradually accepted the fact that it was dead and forgot about it. Well, every once in a while I'd wonder what went wrong with that weed. Then I'd remember, it was just a weed. A few months later, as I was tending to my other plants, my flowers, and my trees, I noticed something odd. It scared me at first, but soon I accepted it. That weed had grown a flower. A small and subtle flower, but nonetheless, IT GREW BACK. I have no idea why. So I let it be. I let it grow amongst my full grown blossoms and luscious greenery. I thought about cutting it because I didn't think it deserved a second chance. But I realized it didn't want a second chance, it just was asleep for a while. Maybe someday it'll grow as big as my trees, but for now it's still just a weed. I don't pay attention to it as much as my other plants, but I keep it as a reminder that not all things die forever. A reminder that burning bridges isn't the way to put out a fire.