I love the Fall foliage so much so that I thought it deserved its own post before the cold of Winter brings shivers to my fingers and my mind. Autumn is smacked between the sweats and bugs of Summer and the dreary, slushy Winter. For me, Autumn is a season of glorious splendor.
Autumn shows off the vibrant colors of red, orange, and yellow against the bright blue sky. The leaves are dancing in the wind, as the trees hold on to their crowning glory, even as the chlorophylls, anthocyanins, and carotenoids work behind the scene.
There is music as I walk on a carpet of leaves. The air is crisp and smells of pumpkin-spiced latte. And I get to wear warm and cozy sweaters to cover my belly flab and saggy arms.
The mosaic of colors brings a sense of warmth and peace, triggering my orbitofrontal cortex. Breathe in, breathe out. My serotonin-booster.
The Fall season ushers in nostalgia for traditions that bring comfort and joy. As the trees prepare to hibernate, it is also the time to rest and contemplate. To snuggle with a fuzzy blanket, a great book, and hot cocoa.
Autumn is a chance to wind down from the hectic activities of the Summer, reflect on the past, and plan for the future, even if just to mentally strengthen for the rigors of the winter season.
It is the time to give thanks for God's blessings.
"How silently they tumble down / And come to rest upon the ground / To lay a carpet, rich and rare / Beneath the trees without a care,"- Elsie N. Brady
