Have you ever stopped to think about the season that is Autumn? No, I mean, really stopped?
Autumn sheds its layers as we put on ours.
Fields become barren as we celebrate two holidays revolving around food.
Autumn is the only season that goes by two names, each as important as the other.
I think the biggest thing that strikes me about Autumn, is that I can’t remember the last time someone said to me, “Man, I can’t wait for Fall to be over!” or, “Man, all these pretty leaves, I wish they’d go away.” I’ve heard people say that about winter, definitely. There’s even a type of depression associated with too much winter. I’ve heard it about the scorching summer heat. Even beautiful spring, it seems, just leaves people aching for warmer beach vacations.
But Autumn? Our culture seems to really “get” autumn. Everyone loves it. They smile more, they break out sweaters just to “get into the mood”. Starbucks even has its own DRINKS for Autumn. No one seems in a hurry to leave it, they just enjoy it while it lasts, savoring every last spice, every hayride, every pumpkin.
I feel this way about the day I spent with my boys yesterday. Because it was Gregory’s birthday, it put me in an entirely different mindset. I won’t have this forever. Before I blink, Gregory’s delightful imaginative games will be gone and he’ll be a teen, isolating himself with some music and headphones. He won’t think my silly games are funny, he’ll be embarrassed.
So I savored “every last spice” of it all. We sang songs whenever we felt like it. We made yummy pancakes. We talked about his new birthday present, Flynn the Fire Engine. We named all of the Thomas Trains on the “collector’s sheet” that came in the box. We went to the zoo and just sat on the grass in the sunshine, no where to go, just waiting for the monkeys to “wake up”. We looked up all the Tigger video clips we could find on Youtube, despite the fact that it was past his bedtime.
Yesterday was one of the most enjoyable days thus far with my boys. There was nowhere else I’d rather be, no other “season” I wanted to rush to.
I’m so blessed that when I really pause to soak it in, I have the most amazing 3 boys anyone could ask for.