Lessons of the Fall

Fall is here, and the older I get the more I appreciate this season.  We can learn so much from observing nature, and here are a couple of lessons I’m learning from Fall.

Death can be beautiful.  I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out.  Though we can clearly see a literal death in the foliage of the fall, the death I’m referencing is figurative.  I was walking on one of my favorite trails the other day, and I noticed that the leaves had already turned shades of brown, yellow, and orange, signifying the point of the life cycle in which the trees drop their old, dead leaves and go into a stage of preparation for the new leaves to bloom.  I marveled at how beautiful the leaves were, both the ones that were still on the trees and the ones that had already found their place along the ground. Though they were dead, they added such color and vibrancy to the path.

I couldn’t help but think about my own life and the things that have figuratively died in recent years.  I’ve witnessed the death of some friendships, dreams, and opportunities.  I mourned those things because I had invested so much in them and was desperately hoping they would eventually provide a return.  However, there came a point when I had to realize that the universe was moving me in a different direction, and the things to which I was so tightly holding were actually causing me harm.  My life had begun to go a different way, and my friendships, dreams, and opportunities needed to transform to accommodate the new path.  I realized that I needed to accept the passing of these things to make room for the new growth that would blossom in the future.  There is no animosity attached to those things, so I could fully appreciate how beautiful they were when they were alive and thriving.  More importantly, though, I can appreciate how beautiful their memory will be and the impact that their existence had on molding me into the person I am.

The other Fall observation I noticed was how many animals I saw preparing and storing up for the winter.  I rarely ever see critters on the trail during the summer months because it’s always so hot, but on this particular day, I saw squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, etc.  All of them were busy transporting food and foliage, which I assumed was in preparation for the winter.  They were so focused, not even giving a second glance to the humans who were trotting about the trail.  One chipmunk almost ran right over my feet.  He didn’t seem to care at all.  He clearly had work to do and was intent on getting sh*t done.  That hit me hard because I have been so busy having a hot girl summer that I was looking forward to a less-involved fall where I could rest and relax.  The chipmunk reminded me, however, that the cooler weather and coming of Fall is not a pass to avoid preparation.  Yes, my schedule gets lighter, and yes, rest is good, but there are still things I need to store up for in order to be prepared for the winter and the growth of the coming seasons. I need to be just as focused and determined as that chipmunk.

What about you?  Are you ready for Fall?  Are there any lessons you can learn from watching the arrival of this season?  Take some time to think about the things that are dying or that have died in your life.  I challenge you to find the beauty in those things, even as you’re grieving them.  I also challenge you to be like the chipmunks, squirrels, and other creatures by taking this time to get ready for the next season.  The holidays will quickly be upon us.  If there’s something you know you want to accomplish, try to work on it before you get overwhelmed with travel and holiday gatherings.  Let’s embrace the lessons of Fall to set the stage for our next season of growth and change!