Youth is in a grand flush, like the hot days of ending summer;

"Youth is in a grand flush, like the hot days of ending summer; and pleasant dreams thrall your spirit, like the smoky atmosphere that bathes the landscape of an August day." These evocative words from Donald G. Mitchell offer a vivid and emotional portrayal of youth, comparing it to the intensity and vibrancy of the final days of summer. The metaphor of youth as a grand flush conveys the idea of a time in life when everything seems full, rich, and brimming with possibilities—a time when one's energy and passion blaze with the heat of the season. Mitchell captures the fleeting beauty of youth, like the warmth of summer, which is intense but ultimately temporary, fading away as quickly as the golden days of August.

In this analogy, youth is depicted as an experience filled with both energy and dreams, as if the spirit is caught in a kind of bewitching, almost ethereal state. The hot days of summer, when the air is thick with the warmth of the sun, are like the dreams that consume the heart of a young person. These dreams are full of vivid colors, untamed ambition, and the sense that anything is possible. But like the smoky haze that often lingers in the late summer air, these dreams can sometimes blur the reality of what lies ahead. Mitchell reminds us that youth is a time of idealism, where the world is seen through the lens of possibility, yet this very intensity may be deceiving, for like the summer, it will eventually give way to the cooler and more reflective days that follow.

This imagery of youth and summer evokes the way ancient philosophers often viewed the seasons of life. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously said, "You cannot step into the same river twice," suggesting that all things are in constant flux. Much like summer, youth is transitory, and we must embrace its fleeting nature with the understanding that its energy and dreams will eventually give way to the wisdom and reflection of later years. Heraclitus spoke of life as a series of constant changes—nothing stays the same, not even our youthful vigor. The lesson, as seen in Mitchell's quote, is that youth is a season to be lived with passion and gratitude, while we understand that it too will pass, just as the end of summer brings cooler weather and the beginning of a new cycle.

The famous writer William Shakespeare also explored this idea of the impermanence of youth, particularly in his works about aging. In his "As You Like It," he presents the stages of life as a play, in which each phase of life has its own role to play. Youth, like the hot days of summer, is a time of boldness, of dreams, and of exhilaration, but it is also a time when one’s understanding of the world is still shaped by idealism and the belief that life’s challenges can be conquered effortlessly. In Shakespeare's work, as in Mitchell’s metaphor, there is an understanding that youth, like summer, is a time when one is most caught up in the heat of the moment, yet must soon transition into the more grounded experiences of maturity.

The lesson in Mitchell’s words is a reminder of the ephemeral nature of youth, and the need to embrace it fully without clinging to it. Just as the ending of summer brings its own beauty in the colors of fall, so too does the end of youth bring new opportunities for growth and self-awareness. Youth’s grand flush is to be cherished and lived in its fullness, but we must not be deceived by the dreams and desires of the moment into thinking they will last forever. The smoky atmosphere of the late summer, with its hints of nostalgia and impermanence, is a perfect metaphor for the way our youthful passions may fade into the wisdom of later years. Yet, that very wisdom, just as the changing seasons, offers a different kind of beauty—one that comes with understanding, reflection, and acceptance.

Consider the life of Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet, whose youth was filled with the same passionate idealism that Mitchell describes. As a young man, Neruda’s dreams were fierce and unbounded, much like the dreams of any youth. His early works are filled with the fire of youthful love and revolution. But as he aged, he reflected more deeply on his experiences, and his poetry evolved into something more complex and subtle, like the changing of seasons. Neruda’s life shows that while youth may burn brightly, it is in maturity and reflection that we find a more profound kind of beauty—one that looks back at the passionate flush of youth with a mix of gratitude, understanding, and a more measured sense of what the future holds.

So, what practical actions can we take from Mitchell’s words? Let us embrace our youthful energy and passions, living fully in each season of life with the understanding that, like summer, they will inevitably change. But let us also look forward with hope and curiosity, knowing that each stage of life brings with it a deeper understanding of who we are and what we can contribute. Whether we are in the hot days of youth or the cooler days of maturity, we must always seek to be mindful of the beauty in each phase and celebrate it for what it is. Let us hold onto the joy of our dreams, but also embrace the wisdom that comes with experience, learning to appreciate each moment as part of the grand, ever-turning cycle of life.