My favorite season of the year is upon us, with its soon-to-be colorful splendor. Sometimes it enters quietly, with the first notice of its arrival being the brilliant colors it brings to the leaves on trees. Other times, it enters with a roar, and brings with it chilly winds and the sounds of crows squawking at one another from their rapidly baring branches in the trees above.
Autumn brings with it a fresh feeling with the cooling breezes and the feeling that Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are on their way. In the air you can feel change, as the transition from summer to fall and later, fall to winter occurs. The crunch of leaves as people walk down the sidewalk and the sight of children young and old frolicking in piles of leaves embodies the beauty of autumn. Autumn reveals its beauty at night, when the wind howls through the trees and the stars shine through the eternally dark, crystal-clear sky.
Autumn is the time of transition between summer and winter and its not-too-hot and not-too-cold ambivalence creates a beauty that is popular amongst many people. Because humans appreciate moderation, a majority of people dislike the oppressive heat of summer, and the bleak coldness of winter. In essence, fall is a good time for people who cannot decide if they prefer warm weather or cold weather, and is a happy medium. To me, autumn represents the beginning of the end of the current year, and will later lead to the dawn of a new year. In a poetic sense, the falling of the leaves from the trees represent the passing of this year’s events, and the opportunity for us to make new and wonderful things happen in the following year, thus the budding of new trees in the spring. This fall, especially, will be an important time to move forward, dropping the leaves of this past year and beginning the rebuilding process for a wealth of beautiful blossoms for next year. As this year closes, we will not forget what happened. We will use the tragedies of this year to help us grow for next year. Similarly, the leaves that fall from the trees this year compost themselves into the soil, creating healthy ground for next year’s growth.
If autumn’s weather and treasures don’t appeal to your tastes, look for the positive aspects. There are plenty of people whose long-sleeved shirt and sweater wardrobes vastly outnumber their short-sleeved shirt and shorts wardrobe. I am one of those people. At the first sign of fall’s arrival, I begin removing my T-shirts and shorts from my school wardrobe, and replace them with sweaters, sweatshirts and jeans.
Autumn days are ideal for picking apples, driving through the colorful, tree-filled countryside, hiking and playing in leaves. An autumn night is perfect for cuddling under a warm blanket in front of a fire with someone special, drinking some hot chocolate or apple cider, star gazing and appreciating the beauty around you.
At this moment, Danielle is frolicking in the leaves. She can be reached at [email protected]
