As fall sets in and smothers over what summer had left to linger, I feel a chill in the air, an early harbinger of what will surely become a long cold winter. The leaves are turning, losing their green summer luster, leaving behind striking colors that were mysteriously already there but hiding under lush chlorophyll as the wooden giant attempted to maximize it's solar exposure.
Sitting here on the water on a gorgeous October morning with the sun warming my cheek through my starboard window it's hard for me to remember that rain and snow, frost and all the accoutrements that accompany the approaching Winter will soon be upon us, bringing with them a darkening gloom that will make us all retreat for cover, to our warm houses and hearths – our hideout for the season. One can hardly blame us, it's warm inside and we all want to be comfortable.
Fall has officially been upon us for a month now and I'm still wearing my sandals. I don't want to admit that soon I'll be wearing socks everyday and wrapping a hat around my head. But as water seeps between my toes and rain soaks through my hair it begins to wash away the warm summer feeling that I had grown so used to, grown so fond of. I know that soon I'll have to follow suit, along with everyone else and get used to being inside more, wearing slippers instead of bare feet, eating soup instead of potato salad.
As the season changes I know there is no need for regret, there is only cause for celebration. Though we may miss the warmth of Summer, we need to realize there's no reason to dread Winter. Just because we miss something because it's no longer around doesn't mean we can't learn to enjoy what we do have and be happy in the moment. What once was will return, perhaps stronger than ever, we just have to be patient and trust in the future.
As we duck the rain with our big umbrellas, don our boots to trudge through the snow or stoke our fire to fend off the cold, we can enjoy the warmth that we create ourselves – the warmth that is generated by our heaters, by our stoves, by our cars, and by those around us, warming our hands and warming our hearts. Happiness truly does start from within, and home really is where the heart is.
Enjoy Fall with a smile on your face. It only comes but once a year.
