How To Let Summer Go And Start Embracing Fall

Not everyone loves fall. For kids, it means going back to school. For teachers, it means resuming work. And for everyone, it means an increase in work, feeling cold all the time,  preparing for months of darkness, and shoveling snow. 

Saying goodbye to summer means putting vacations on the back burner, settling back into a routine that can feel mundane. Work can get busier, the sun doesn’t stay out as long, the days grow darker, and the outdoor dinner gatherings come to an end. Indeed, it can be a sad time of year, as we long for the past several months of fun, sunshine, friends, family, and warm weather. 

But there’s something great about the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

I’ve always loved this time of year, when the maple leaves change to a bright reddish-orange color and the grass feels crusty in the mornings. When I was an athlete, I loved breathing in the cold air to start my day. It burnt my lungs, but I still loved that crisp, chill air, compared to the muggy heat of the summer. 

I love finding my first maple leaf and dipping it in wax to preserve the color. And I love collecting acorn caps and felting acorns with colorful wool. During the Halloween season, I love visiting pumpkin patches, apple picking, exploring corn mazes, pumpkin carving, making apple cider, and decorating cookies. And there are other arts and crafts we can do while sitting by the fire.

Because we get so busy driving and having other commitments, we sometimes forget to carry on the fun and play into the school year. It makes us see fall as dreary and stressful, as opposed to the fun we associated with summer.

But fun times can happen in any season. Have you ever been night skiing or night snorkeling? Ever gotten lost in a corn maze with a friend and couldn’t stop laughing? Have you ever bobbed for apples? Better yet, has your dog ever bobbed for apples? And have you ever made apple cider from handpicked apples? 

Fall doesn’t have to mean death and hibernation. To me, fall means simply a shift in attire, so that I can finally order my pumpkin-spiced latte. Just because you can’t swim anymore doesn’t mean the beach is useless – I love walking the beach in off months and searching for sea glass. And don’t book yourselves so full that you don’t have time to bake cookies with your kid, or take the dog for a walk in the woods. 

Don’t let the darkness and cold stop you from enjoying the time you do have outdoors this time of year.

I urge you to embrace time for fun activities this fall.

Photo by Cecile Vedemil on Unsplash