Why Is Fall Always Overlooked as the Best Season?

From life to death to life again…

I grew up in rural, South Georgia, where pine trees make up the majority of the scenery. We don’t get a lot of foliage down there that expresses Fall the way the leaves do in the Pacific Northwest, where I live now. The colors and falling leaves shown in movies and written about in classic writings don’t make any guests appearances back home. None of that has ever kept Fall from being my favorite season.

Fall can be a time of rebirth and a time of reconnection. It is a slower time to reflect. Where there is life, there must be death — and life again. And Fall is a reminder, for everyone, that death can be stunning.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hoodie Season!!!

I’ve always connected with Fall on a physical level, but more recently it’s an emotional attachment, too. In the past, it was an incredibly welcome break from the oppressive heat of the summer. Fall was the time we could finally wear hoodies and shorts. It was a time we could finally, comfortably be outside without the need of a lake or river. Fall was very much about the coolness of the weather instead of the time of mental slowness I’ve come to love.

Fall Nights and Campfires

Fall nights are the best time of year for bonfires with your friends. I’ve spent so many Fall nights around a fire with my closest friends or family, playing music long into the night. The smells, the sounds, the conversations — all coming together in perfect harmony.

Fall is a time of appreciation. It’s a time to reap the rewards of the year’s crops. It’s a time to relax from the busy days of Summer. Fall has a way of slowing time even more than it already is in the South. The days are shorter, the nights are longer, and everything is just a little bit more sleepy.

What About “Real” Fall?

The Fall that is pictured at the top of this article was always a fantasy to me growing up. Something inside me always assumed those places, with leaves covering the ground and colors exploding with warmth, were few and far between. Situations like that had to be isolated nooks, in faraway lands. Right? I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Seasons!!

The Pacific Northwest is the first place I’ve lived which actually has four seasons. Each time it’s obvious a new season arrives, I think it may be my favorite. However, as soon as I begin to see the oranges, yellows, reds, and rusts — I know the real winner is finally here.

Fall is more than a reprieve from Summer for me in Portland. It’s a time where reflection becomes impossible to avoid. It’s a time of personal regrowth. Fall has the power to take our minds off of our busy lives and slow everything down long enough to take in the scenery.

It’s Still a Time of Togetherness

In the city, the bonfires become propane-lit fires. The smell of smoke and ash are gone, but the fire’s ability to gather everyone hasn’t diminished. There’s still the soft sounds of acoustic music, the gentle laughter of friends, and commonality in understanding the need for togetherness.

Don’t Let It Slip Away

Whatever Fall is for you, make sure you remember to experience it. It’s nature’s way of giving us a bit of a timeout, so take it. Get together with family, have a pot luck with friends, please find a fire! Our lives go by too quickly. Use the slow pace of the season to your advantage. Reconnect with loved ones, live life more slowly, and recharge while you can.