The Seasons have once again changed and whether we like it or not Fall is upon us. While I sit here watching through my living room window and sip my morning coffee, I find it comforting to know that fall weather is on the move and soon the leaves will all be changing colors, fall and winter clothing put away for Spring and summer will be ready for wear once again.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love the holiday season and all the beauty it brings. The sound of the soft wind whipping through the trees, the chill in the air, the fall decorations about and even people seem to be a bit more friendly. If you are fortunate enough to have four seasons or live within a region of breathtaking fall foliage one cannot ignore the beauty of mother nature and how Autumn is a gentle reminder that change can be beautiful. To quote Angie Weiland-Crosby, “Autumn embraces change, even as she is falling to pieces.” Change can be difficult and sometimes thrust upon us, somehow fall feels more like a touch on the shoulder of a good friend wanting to say hello and let us know they are back in town. Finding time for all Autumn has to bring doesn’t come easy for most. Work, college, getting married, starting a business, writing that book, meetings, taking care of our kids, no sleep…where do we find the time to enjoy this beauty bestowed upon us? What if you live near the beach and there are no real changes in the season? How do we enjoy and welcome fall?

For me, I have found embracing where I am and finding the pleasure of decorating inside and outside of my home exciting. It doesn’t matter where you live, you can celebrate the rich autumn colors and the pure magic of the season through your senses in any which way you please. When I lived in Central Texas during the fall and winter seasons for the first time, I decorated my home with lots and lots of fall decorations and candles. Fall candles, pine candles, coffee candles any and everything to bring my home into the richness of the season. It didn’t matter to me that I had to work a little bit harder to enjoy the season, my seven-year-old twin boys were thrilled that mommy had turned our much-air-conditioned home into a fall wonderland just like they were used to before we moved from Oregon. In all honesty it doesn’t take a whole lot of time either. If you have children as I do, having them help can be a really fun time for you and for them. I also had some free time after I put them to bed to decorate. Early morning risers, throw that coffee pot on, or Keurig or grab a tea bag and brew some of your favorite fall flavors and jump into it, you won’t be sorry. Let yourself relish in the fall bliss of happiness. If decorating sounds exhausting and maybe not quite your thing, getting outdoors and breathing in the fresh crisp air could be just enough to put all your worries fast asleep and allow you to take a moment to be one with the new season and embrace what it has to offer. Autumn seems to reach out to us amidst the “craziness” and “no extra time” in our hurried days as a reminder to slow down and enjoy the beauty, the richness and calmness. If you can find the time to squeeze in that extra ten minutes into your day, go watch that sunset you’ve missed all year, go outside and sit with your morning cup of coffee, rake those first fallen leaves and let your kids run and jump into the pile, heck, jump into the pile yourself. Call your parents, plan a visit or if they live nearby drop by on your way to work. Finding time isn’t easy, but at the end of the day, time is all we truly have, and fall is a gentle reminder of that.

Fall is the promise of a new beginning, carrying with it the cool breezes, vibrant colors, and the richness of slowing down a bit.

I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house. Nathaniel Hawthorne