Blog Post No. 517
The brief but glorious season of Autumn is upon us and unlike the last few years, it arrived on time and has held on with cool, crisp air, a flourish of colour, and inevitable darkness. (It’s not all good, but two out of three ain’t bad). I’m determined to enjoy it for as long as it holds out, even though I’m not actually spending much time out in the cloudy skies and refreshing weather. I’m still a homebody at heart and, like a skittish forest creature, I’m wary of others. I’ve waxed about my love of the season several times on this website, but for some reason, I feel like I still haven’t properly expressed how and why I enjoy it so much.
There are obvious things that I like about it (most of which I’ve mentioned in the previous paragraph). They’re all physical, though. I love the cloudy skies, the cool air, the cozy clothes, the crunching leaves. Taking a walk or driving with the window down is never more enjoyable than in the autumn when the sun isn’t blinding you or trying to cook you’re skin, when pools of sweat take effort to form, and hoodies can be worn outside and in your house. I also really like to watch the fat squirrels do a terrible job hiding nuts for the coming winter.
There are intangible feelings that come with the season. Some are universal, like nostalgia for childhood, some are harder to get across. Autumn is often a time of excitement with school and activities like hockey starting. People prepare for the holidays (a time with which I have much more conflicted feelings) and get ready for winter. It’s busy, but with a sense of renewal. It may seem counter intuitive since the plants are either dying or getting ready to slumber and the recognized new year is months away, but so much happens in this season that I feel like it’s natural to buckle down and get to business. There’s a natural motivation.
I think both of those sets of things, physical and emotional, are fairly common. I’m not alone in my love of autumn or am I special in the specific way that I love it. There’s an undefinable something that allows me to relax a little this time of year. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s easier to hide or that I just fine the cooler weather to be a relief. I have an idea that this time of year allows people to not take part in things without some kind of excuse worthy of scrutiny. Like, since we’re all so busy it’s reasonable to say you’re unavailable. I kind of feel like I’m making that up, though. Or, maybe I’m putting a feeling into words that others will instantly relate with. All I know for sure is that I need to go for a walk, then settle down for an evening of tea and a good book. After the day job of course, if I have time.
Ben Van Dongen 