Today is the first day of fall. I am looking forward to wearing cozy sweaters, breaking out our heavy comforter, and waking up to chilly mornings. Yes, I’m aware that I live in Santa Barbara and the weather doesn’t change all that much, but I’m still ready to swap out my jean shorts for a pair of actual jeans. Can’t wait. You better believe I’m looking forward to going to Trader Joe’s and stocking up on everything pumpkin too. Other than the feelings of comfort and coziness, I’ve been reflecting on what this season also means to me.
Usually I’m anticipating fall after a summer filled with lots of weddings, bachelorettes, birthdays, travel etc. I’m usually chomping at the bit to replace the always-on-the-go craziness with nights spent at home with a cup of tea and a blanket. This summer, I’ve spent more nights than ever on my couch – just replace that tea with rosé and that blanket with a fan and that sums up the last few months. I was curious if I would still be looking forward to this new season since this has been our most homebody summer to date, but I am. I think what I’m looking forward to is what the seasons (and especially fall) most represent: change.
Every season is the closing of one chapter and the opening of another, and I’m ready to turn these pages. I’m not sure what this next chapter has in store, but I’m hoping that the book of 2020 gets better. Sweet goodness, please get better. Less illness, fires, instability, injustice, sadness, and negativity for the next half of this story, please! While we can’t predict a lot these days, we can count on summer ending and fall beginning. We can depend on leaves falling, days shortening, and upcoming holidays (whether we can celebrate them like we usually can or not remains to be determined). We can count on time at home that hopefully seems more welcome than mandatory and even more time to truly slow down (if you’re like me, hopefully you’ve exhausted the home repairs and remodels that filled a stay-at-home summer).
We’ve now spent two seasons living amidst a global pandemic. It’s hard to believe but, also, easy to comprehend too – like March was yesterday but also two years ago? Anyone else feel this way? Half a year has come and gone, and now fall offers the opportunity for change and reflection again. Like the verdant leaves soon succumbing to oranges and golds, in what ways can you let go and adjust? What can be shorn or transformed for the purposes of betterment? We’ve all had a lot to carry these past six months, so what can we let go of as we enter into part three of this year?
For me, fall aligns with comfort, balance, restoration, and reflection. It’s a time to figure out what has been working and what needs to fade away. Maybe it’s sometimes not as much about what needs to end as what needs to have the opportunity to grow. I love summer and I love the lush greens that come with it, but if green has to change to anything, it’s hard to beat gold. There’s more unpredictability to come – some days will be crisp and some days will be bone-chilling, but the sunsets will be unbelievable and the mornings will have that sweet and musky smell. The fall leaves take flight before they land, and I’m ready to see where we will all land too. As the saying goes, change is in the air, and I’m ready and waiting.
