I feel like I am the very last person to welcome fall this year.
Don't get me wrong, I love autumn - the crisp air, the changing leaves, the pumpkin-flavored everything - so why am I hanging onto the last remnants of summer so strongly? I admit that it may have something to do with our incomplete Summer Bucket List. But also, it just doesn't feel like fall to me yet. The leaves haven't really started changing around here, and I can still get away with wearing shorts and flip flops every day. Maybe I need to spend more time on Pinterest, basking in the barrage of autumn-themed pins. Maybe I need to break out my scarves and start researching costume ideas. For some reason, fall also reminds me of Harry Potter..? I have no idea why. Perhaps because the students drink pumpkin juice and Hogwarts embraces Halloween decor all year long? Perhaps because I read all the HP books during the fall? It's probably those things.
I guess it also won't really feel like fall for me until we've completed our August surprise date. I've still got this supposedly summer activity hanging out in the back of my mind, refusing to let me move on until it's completed.
That's pretty silly, though - I like fall! I want to get excited about it! But. Those trees are still green, I tell you. It isn't real until they're on fire with orange and yellow leaves.
Who knows, maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and the leaves will have a hint of yellow to them. Maybe the breeze will nip at my nose. Maybe I'll get on Pinterest and one of my friends will have pinned the perfect fall outfit to snap me into it.
But for now, fall doesn't officially start until Saturday. And as soon as those leaves start changing, I'll gladly switch to full fall mode!
Am I just weird or are there others like me out there?
Note: I wrote this last night, and ironically enough, I woke up this morning to fall-esque temperatures, a little bit of fog, and even some yellow-tinged leaves in my neighborhood. Ha! Funny how those things work out. I did get away with flip flops and a light blouse today, but I had to ditch the shorts for some jeans. It still doesn't feel *quite* like fall to me yet, but today has been the first day that I can really feel it's imminent return. And I'm excited about it.
Am I just weird or are there others like me out there?
Note: I wrote this last night, and ironically enough, I woke up this morning to fall-esque temperatures, a little bit of fog, and even some yellow-tinged leaves in my neighborhood. Ha! Funny how those things work out. I did get away with flip flops and a light blouse today, but I had to ditch the shorts for some jeans. It still doesn't feel *quite* like fall to me yet, but today has been the first day that I can really feel it's imminent return. And I'm excited about it.
Here in West Virginia it's really starting to feel like Fall! I'm excited.. especially about the clothing! Fall fashion is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteBut I know what you mean by just not "feeling" it.
Those are gorgeous pictures, by the way. Did you take them?
(Obviously you would have taken them last year if you did. lol.)
DeleteThank you! Yes, I took them last year. :)
DeleteFall fashion is MY favorite, too.. I just can't get into it yet. But like I said, it is cooler today so maybe I can break out the fall clothes soon!
I love fall. But we musn't fall for the idea that just because we have four seasons that they're as separate as we think they are. We get spring break in winter; fall semester starts before summer ends. We think winter is snow on postcards and calendars, not that slow, creeping thing that surprises us stealthily.
ReplyDeleteBut the essence of a season—that's what stands out to us. Just from your writing I know you can capture that. And near the beginning of the season, you are really just gearing up for it, not ready to actually be in the middle of it yet. Your pumpkin-flavored goodies and colored leaves will all fall into place in the right time! God gave us the sun and moon for seasons; I think that's really nifty that he planned seasons from the very beginning: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201:14-19&version=ESV
I also think it's interesting that people seem to think life is like the seasons, beginning with spring (birth, childhood), moving on to summer (young adulthood), then to fall (middle age), and eventually to winter (old age and death). One year when it snowed where I lived, and when the world was white, I realized what a glorious place to start, with white in the winter! It's like a blank piece of paper, a new beginning. Now I don't so much think of winter as the end, but see it as the fresh start, a resurrection, a new beginning.
I liked this post; it got me thinking! Thanks!
Asta, I love getting comments from you. They are always so insightful and they make me happy.
DeleteI think as I was reading this, I realized why I feel so strange about fall coming this year. Usually I don't pay so much attention to the beginnings and ends of seasons. I enjoy letting them creep up. But this year, I've been so focused on the beginnings and endings of every month (because of my monthyl resolutions) that I've retrained myself to look for the beginnings and ends. My bucket list only exacerbated the feeling!
And I'm not really sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, I've accomplished a lot this year because of the monthly resolutions, but on the other hand, I want to let the seasons come and go without making too big a deal of it. I enjoy going with the flow and letting time pass subtly.
I'm glad you enjoyed my post! I certainly liked your comment; it got me thinking. Thanks! ;)
It doesn't feel like fall yet to me yet either, so I think I know what you mean. It's not fall until we're picking pumpkins and making pies and every tree is a dark orange or red color
ReplyDeleteI'm not ready for Fall yet, either, but that's probably because my allergies haven't taken over my head yet. Oh, I hate that part of Fall.
ReplyDeleteI'm not ready for fall yet either... even though it's been cold where I am for quite some time now. I can't remember the last day this summer that I wore shorts... or flip flops. Probably several weeks ago now.
ReplyDelete