For the Love of Fall

Lace up your Timberlands and put on your flannel—fall has officially arrived! Fall has always been my favorite season. The leaves reveal their true colors. The air gets cooler. And, most importantly, it’s the perfect season for spiced teas and hot apple cider!

This year, it seems like the season shifted from summer to fall pretty abruptly. One day, it was 87 degrees, and the very next day, I needed a jacket and a scarf. The change was immediate. And, to be honest, I wasn’t prepared for the shift.

But seasons tend to do that, don’t they? Shift, that is.

Life often has a way of throwing us curveballs, and circumstances can shift without a moment’s notice. Our careers shift, relationship dynamics change over time, and, truth be told, we change with the seasons as well. The funny thing is, there have always been four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. But, even in knowing the truth about the existence of these four seasons, we often treat the current season we’re living in like it will never change.  Or even worse, when the season does shift, we’re completely unprepared for the relief we waited for but always knew was coming.

I don’t know if you’ve experienced some sort of season shift in your life recently, or if you’ve been waiting on something to turn, but here are four lessons we can learn from this fall season to help us keep proper perspective as the seasons change:

1. Don’t despise the seasons that reveal a leaf’s true colors.

One of my favorite things about fall is the beautiful colors of the leaves. As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, the leaves begin to change. But catch this: the green we’ve seen during the previous two seasons is the result of lots of sunlight helping the leaves produce chlorophyll. The truth is, the red, orange, and yellow leaves you see during fall are the leaves true colors. Fall is the season that reveals what has always been there. Fall is literally the season where the true nature of things gets revealed.

Sometimes, it takes a season that’s a little colder, a little darker, and a little less comfortable to unveil what was lying beneath the surface all along.

Here’s the catch: when you discover that a leaf was yellow all along, don’t be deceived when it changes colors in a sunnier season. Remember, there are trees that stay green in every season.

2. Some losses are necessary.

Some trees must shed their leaves in the fall in order to survive the winter. The leaves had usefulness and purpose during the spring and summer. But, those same leaves could take necessary nutrients from the tree in a colder, darker season.

Even when it’s difficult, you must learn to embrace the losses; they may be what saves you in the next season.

And just in case you were wondering: a tree never stops being a tree when it losses its leaves.

And just like a tree, you are not defined by your losses or what was attached to you in a previous season. 

3. Seasons change; so don't get too comfortable.

I really do not enjoy extremely hot weather. However, when the weather shifted so quickly, I found myself complaining about how cold it had gotten. The milder season I’d been waiting for arrived when I least expected it. I was so used to the hot weather that I didn’t know how to respond to the relief of a cool breeze.

The truth is, I wasn’t ready for the relief that I’d prayed for and I had gotten comfortable in a season that for me, was uncomfortable.

Don’t get too comfortable. Seasons change. And change is coming— QUICKLY!

4. When the season shifts, you have to show up differently.

Even though fall is my favorite season, I had to realize quickly that my mornings were now a little chillier than before. And you know what colder mornings mean? There has to be better preparation on my part.

In order for me to enjoy the season I’ve been waiting for; I have to prepare accordingly. Meaning what? I have to dress according to the season that I’m currently in and not the season that I just came out of. I have to show up differently so I can fully embrace the season that I’m in. 

This isn’t about clothes, it’s about our mindsets. 

Summer is gone. Fall requires new garments and greater preparation.

So as we navigate this new season, may we see the trees and fallen leaves as a reminder that seasons are temporary, every loss has a purpose, and the season you’ve been praying for is swiftly approaching.  Make sure that you’re ready for the relief you’ve been waiting on and don't be afraid to embrace the beauty that a new season has to offer.

Happy Fall Y'all!

For your consideration,

Someone who’s embracing the beauty of a new season

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1