It’s officially the end of summer. Soon it will be chilly and dark by 5pm, and there are unhappy campers wrapping up vacations and saying goodbye to summer flings. Yes, it sucks. Summer is over, which means it’s likely your tryst is over, too. But just because you had a brief yet great time does not mean it was a loss. Sometimes the end arrives before you are ready, and that is exactly what makes it sting. Still, a short season can leave behind a feeling that lasts much longer.

Flings are incredible. They rekindle that emotion in you that might have abandoned you months before when your ex walked out. They lift you out of your near-catatonic dating state and remind you that passion and chemistry and desire really do exist. I had a few flings when I was single, and I look back on all of them fondly, even if some of the guys ended it in a completely douche-baggery way. Even a temporary spark can reset your outlook in a way nothing else can.

I met a man on a plane to Australia a few years back. We talked and flirted the entire plane ride without sleeping, which was like 12 hours. The chemistry was ON, and besides, he was hot and he was Australian. We exchanged numbers and met up again, and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. It was incredible, and it was brief, but I knew it would be. That was part of the thrill, because nothing was promised and everything felt possible.

My time with him left an impression on me. He had given me a little hope about dating, a sense of joy, and some much-needed optimism. I got back on the plane to head home, and decided to join a new online dating site and go out more often. A month later, I met my husband, quite accidentally. If you’re missing your summer fling, take heart. This is just the beginning of a new chapter. The memory of that chemistry can push you forward in ways you don’t expect.