The Allure of Autumn

We all have that favorite time of year. Fall just happens to be mine. EVERYTHING about the  season creates a feeling of warmth and comfort. I want to sit in a chair with a book and a cup of tea. I dream of pumpkins carved on the front steps and pears baked into crisps. My dinner menus move from grilled meats and veggies to baked squash and soups. Every time autumn rolls around I have the greatest intent to take full advantage and to truly get my fill of the glorious season, but every time I feel shorted. I never make enough soup, I never read enough books, and I certainly never sit around a bonfire with a glass of bourbon often enough. In the past I have felt angry and frustrated that the season ended so soon but lately I have started to see the value and gift that a short season brings. Would I treasure the things I listed if I was actually able to tire of them? Would I enjoy the look, taste, and feel of pumpkin if it was a year round staple? Maybe... but most likely not. As human beings we crave novelty and fall is a novelty for certain. We can travel anywhere at any time of the year to find the cold of winter or the warmth of summer and even the dampness of spring is  accessible at times, but to find that delicious sensation of warmth and coolness, where the air starts to feel crisp and the sun warms you not quite enough but just a little, where the leaves turn that beautiful landscape of color. To find this is nearly impossible outside of the season. So take the time to find the beauty in each season but most especially look for the joy that can come from this glorious time of year.