I stood by the window with my morning coffee, staring out at the street like a person watching a very confused show. Outside, the weather could not make up its mind. Right past my glass, a neighbor walked by in a heavy raincoat and boots, looking ready for a storm, while just three doors down, someone else strolled past in shorts and a t-shirt.

It was a total mix-up of seasons happening all at once. How was anyone supposed to get dressed for a day that swung wildly from cold rain to a sudden, sweaty heat?

I turned back to my closet, holding onto my cardigan like a lifeline. I zipped up a fleece jacket, felt a sudden wave of heat, and threw it off. Then, a second later, a chill hit me straight to the bone. My body’s inner temperature felt completely broken.

Is this just crazy weather, or is it midlife—a personal summer exploding right inside my skin?

I looked at the pile on my bed: a rain jacket, a tank top, a heavy coat, and a hand fan. It looked less like a wardrobe and more like a survival kit. Outside, the street wore every season at once; inside, my body felt just as mixed up, freezing one moment and roasting the next, wondering what kind of weather day was coming next.