Seven Reasons to Love Autumn

Though it is still quite hot in some areas of the USA, we are heading into my favorite time of year! Fall not only brings us pumpkin carving, Thanksgiving, and Christmas shopping; but, also beautiful colors, cooler weather, and a sense of the world calming down. (Well, most years anyway…  lol) Fall is like preparing for naptime. The days get shorter, we snuggle up under warm blankets, birds start flying south, and we begin to rest.

Eric and I are both fans of the changing seasons. The difference being that I want to experience the different seasons and he is happy to watch them from inside the house. ~smile~ The theme of our wedding was The Four Seasons because we started dating on June 11, 2004 and were married June 11, 2005. During the ceremony, my cousin sang one of my favorite songs – Every Season by Nicole Nordeman. Her verse about Autumn is beautiful:

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside

Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and what’s to come
You are Autumn

Autumn seems like the perfect time to reflect. What were the highlights? What were the rough spots? What do we want to do differently in the next year?

Not everyone appreciates Fall in the way I do. Some see it as preparing for death. Cooler weather is a sign of winter coming. What do you see when you picture Fall? Much of our attitude is prompted by our beliefs. Let us see if we cannot make a case for Autumn being completely awesome though…

• Autumn brings beautifully colored trees. “Forfeiting their leaves in late September” is a gorgeous lyric. Mom always dreamed of driving through the mountains in the Fall to see the brightly colored trees. My dad and I got that opportunity in 1999 as we headed up north for my cousin’s October wedding. Autumn is a photographer’s dream. It gives the perfect backdrop for engagement photos. And, it brings out the kid in us because we all love playing in crunchy leaves!
• Autumn brings us together around campfires. Summer campfires are great but there is something extra special about Fall campfires. There is a nip in the air, friends gather, and you let your guard down. I love how the glow of a campfire and the warmth of s’mores brings people together.
• Autumn brings the opportunity to welcome new people into your home. The cookout season is almost gone; but that just opens the door for people to gather inside for comfort food, apple cider, and games. Instead of viewing Autumn as preparation for the end, Autumn can be a time to make new connections!
• Autumn brings fun activities around every corner. Festivals! Pumpkin carving! Pumpkin smashing! Hikes! Apple orchards! Corn mazes! Football games! Roasting marshmallows! And, beautiful drives through the countryside! If you are willing to throw on a jacket, September, October, and November can be filled with fun dates!!!
• Autumn brings Thanksgiving. Many of us in the US and Canada are programmed to reflect on why we are thankful in the Autumn months because of our Thanksgiving holidays (Canada’s in October and America’s in November).
• Autumn brings engagement opportunities! Eric proposed in the Fall and his dad took some vibrant photos of us. Summer being the traditional time to get married (though I think Fall is terrific too!), a Fall engagement gives couples six to nine months to plan a wedding. When Eric proposed, we did not prepare for an ending, but a beginning! The coming months were cold, but we were focused on the warm days ahead.
• Autumn brings the chance to reflect. As mentioned earlier, Fall is a great time to settle in with a warm beverage and think about the year. It is cool but not too cool to be outside. The breeze blows familiar smells past your nose – someone grilling or burning leaves. Geese fly by in perfect formation and set the mood for calm contemplation. Eric may never understand this, but one of my favorite activities is sitting outside and just looking into the distance, recalling precious memories, and reliving beautiful moments.

Change does not have to be frightening. As these exquisite trees show us each year, change can be beautiful. Looking back over my life, some of my best times have been in the Fall. Each year, we carve pumpkins. Sometimes we drive to Charlottesville to the Carter Mountain Orchard. My sister-in-law and I spend as much time as possible at our favorite country store. We prepare for celebrations. There are innumerable reasons to love this season.

We challenge you to make the most of this coming Fall. Talk to your boyfriend, girlfriend, or best buddies, and make a Fall 2020 bucket list. Decide on at least three adventures you want to have before the season is over. Then, be sure to write down your experiences so you can relive them for a lifetime!

What are your favorite Autumn memories?

Picture: victoreus/Depositphotos.com