Fall, autumn, sweater weather, Gilmore Girls season. Whatever you call this time of year, it’s upon us. And I’m here for it.
For some, it means pumpkin spice lattes and all things Halloween. For others, it can be annual activities such as apple picking or gathering for Thanksgiving. For my husband, it’s Michigan football.
What is it about fall that evokes such strong emotions?
While it’s easy to say that I love this season, after further contemplation, it’s more complex than that. No other time of year feels as transitional or full of contrast, introspection, and reflection.
Back to School
For most of us in Westchester County, September marks the start of a new school year and the return of structured schedules. New school supplies, new teachers, new routines — everything gets reset. Back-to-school isn’t just a day or a week; it’s a state of mind, a feeling, a season itself.
The New New Year
As parents, we might not be the ones back in school, but it’s as if we’re all given the chance to have a clean slate — an opportunity to leave behind the past, move forward, and renew our goals and aspirations. I see September as a second New Year, or the new January. I set up my academic-year paper planner every August in preparation, full of fresh start energy.
Holding On
While autumn seems like a new beginning, it is the winding down of the calendar year. Daylight is fading, and holidays are approaching. I cherish family traditions, festive occasions, and religious observances. I long to bake all the pies and cookies. I find goodness in the abundant harvest: baskets full of apples, porches full of pumpkins, bellies full of hearty meals, hearts and homes full of love — a cornucopia of blessings.
Seasonal Shifts
Although fall has my heart, I’m never quite ready for it. Every year, the sudden switch in seasons — and from warm to cool and light to dark — happens too quickly and takes me by surprise. The carefree and bright days of the past few months have already become a memory. The trees proceed to change colors and release their foliage, and winter’s inevitable cold and bleakness are right around the corner. But wasn’t it just summer?
The Art of Coziness
I always feel the urge to savor autumn while it lasts. This season embodies the values of comfort and homeyness, truly capturing the essence of hygge (pronounced HOO-guh or HEW-guh), the Danish word for a cozy quality that makes one feel content. Hygge is a lifestyle that we can cultivate by practicing self-care. Taking time now to care for and recharge ourselves in incremental yet intentional ways can greatly benefit our overall sense of well-being, and then those around us.
Finally, Letting Go
Fall is full of sights, scents, aesthetics, and moods. It’s invigorating and celebratory, but comes and goes with the wistful awareness of passing time, and knowing that winter is on its way. What makes it so special is the bittersweet blend of beginnings and endings, highs and lows.
Maybe the real beauty of autumn is found in embracing both sides of the season — joy and melancholy — and realizing that change is not loss, but transformation. After all, the leaves show us in vibrant color that letting go makes future growth possible.
