How That Quiet Moment Between Summer And Fall Makes Us All More Productive

What is it about fall that makes us seek new beginnings? What is it that makes us rediscover parts of ourselves that may have lain dormant during the stagnant summer months?

Is it the “click” that happens between summer and fall? It could be. I always feel that something tangible in the air changes, and it’s more than just the drop in temperature. To me, fall feels different from the other seasons. It is so full of vibrant change and possibility.

This “click” usually happens in early September. The air is hot and humid, until one day, it’s not. It’s just not hot anymore, which feels like a strange and sudden shift. Often, life is like this, too. Something is one way, until one day, it isn’t anymore.

Is it this dramatic drop in temperature that inspires change within our own lives? Or is it the clarity in the atmosphere? With summer’s humidity gone, everything outside is clearer and sharper.

In my own life, things are clearer in the fall. Things are changing, progressing and moving in a way that may not have made sense to me before. It's like the mist cleared and I can see for miles.

After September’s first “click,” the leaves begin, ever so gradually, to change. They shift in color from their dark and rich greens and lighten to yellows, neon oranges and rich reds.

When October sneaks up on us, as it always does, the world explodes into an array of colors — one last burst of life before the cold winter months. Is it this beautiful and explosive transformation that reminds us that we, too, can transform?

October brings with it more than just a masterpiece of color. It brings a certain darkness and mystery, as the sun begins to set noticeably earlier in the evening.

More than this, though, with Halloween on the horizon, I find myself and those around me more willing to embrace and explore the darkness. This happens both by physically exploring our worlds, under the cover of darkness on Halloween night, and by allowing ourselves to explore the dark corners of our own souls.

Without summer’s piercing heat and foggy humidity, it’s easier to step back and look at ourselves; look at who we really are and whom we want to become.

After Halloween’s excitement undoubtedly comes a rainy, misty November day. Perhaps it is just me, but for as long as I can remember, the day after Halloween has always been grey and dark.

With November’s biting chill and the possibility of snow, we seek warmth and light. We make hot cocoa and feel its warmth on our hands as we hold the ceramic mug it fills. We light candles and bundle under blankets.

As the holidays approach, we seek this warmth and light from each other, too. We send cards and give gifts, we gather and hug and love one another.

There is an undeniable rosy glow that accompanies everything during this time of year, coloring even the darkest days of winter with a certain indescribable sparkle.

What is it about autumn that makes it such an inspiring season? Perhaps, in watching the world around us change so profoundly, we realize that we, too, can change. Perhaps, in watching the trees shed their leaves, we realize that there are aspects of ourselves we’d like to shed, as well.

Perhaps, in feeling the temperature drop and watching the darkness descend, we realize there are spots of darkness within our own lives -- spots of darkness we need to fill with light.

Photo Courtesy: We Heart It