“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
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Source: The Great Gatsby (1925), Chapter 1 — Nick Carraway's narration.
About this quote
Summer often brings a quiet nudge to start again, not a dramatic overhaul but a chance to notice small changes and act on them. The image of sudden leaves and bright light asks you to pay attention to what’s happening around you, then shift one habit or one plan. Try something tiny: a ten-minute morning walk, one unfinished task returned to, or a single day cleared for play. Make a small move now and let that motion carry you forward.
When to use it
- Work — first week of the new quarter: I stepped into the courtyard, thought of Fitzgerald’s line, and told my manager I’d take the lead on one fresh project this summer.
- Study — after a long spring of distractions: I read the sentence on my phone before heading to the library and decided to restart a study routine for the term.
- Health — returning to exercise after an injury: seeing the trees made me say out loud, 'Okay, one short run this evening,' and then I actually laced up and went.
- Family — a parent watching kids play in June: while pushing the swing I remembered that line and promised myself one slow, screen-free Saturday in our backyard.