There’s something special about autumn.
The crisp air. The vibrant purple, red, and gold leaves. A steaming cup of tea. A crackling fire. An artful display of pumpkins, cornstalks, and apples.
Autumn has been my favorite season since childhood. Now that the calendar has flipped to October, I’ve been thinking about why I enjoy this time of year so much.
There’s a preciousness to fall that heightens its delights. I know these magical days are fleeting. The long lazy days of summer are over and the cold dark winter lies ahead. It makes me want to savor this season.
Autumn is a time of reflection. Its transitional nature encourages me to ponder my life. What seasons have come and gone? Which has most recently waned and which one awaits? Where do I find myself now?
The last year an a half has been a time of intense change in my career, family, and way of living (I wrote about those changes here). The current season for my wife Lisa and me is dominated by adapting to our new nomadic lifestyle. Three months ago, we finished selling our condo, our rental houses, and almost all our possessions. We now live in hotels, AirBnbs, and with friends and family throughout the US, and we’ll soon be heading abroad.
At times I wonder if we’re crazy. This way of life is so different than anything we’ve done before, and the challenges are real. But overall, we’re loving the freedom, spontaneity, variety, and relational connections that nomadic life provides. In the frustrating times, I think of how proud I am of us for taking the leap into this dream we’ve had for so long, and remind myself we can always plant roots again if we choose.
What reflections is this autumn season stirring in you? Take time to ponder. Wander a wood, a park, a lane. Look back on the seasons of your life. Observe honestly where you are now. Gaze at what lies ahead. Practice gratitude for it all. Let the insights you gain guide your path. If you do, you’ll experience a deep joy this autumn, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.
Throughout my ghost hunting experience, choosing to embrace it all meant focusing on the good and joyful aspects of each step. That doesn’t mean I denied the exertion and the injuries of the search or my disappointment at the commonplace explanation of the light’s source. It means I chose to focus on the child-like wonder during the search phase and the feeling of accomplishment in the unmasking phase.
Some clarification on this point. Obviously, not everything in your life is equally enjoyable or offers the same degree of potential happiness. Right now some of you are going through terrible trials and struggles. In no way do I mean to minimize your pain. What I’m saying is that even the hardest things we face provide an opportunity for something good. During college I learned some horrible news that I knew would affect me deeply for many years. While I was devastated and grieving, I found a spark of hope underneath it all, a quiet excitement that came from knowing that going through this journey could make me a better, stronger person if I let it. That experience was one of the lowest and most difficult seasons of my life but I am so grateful for the things I learned and who I became through it. I did my best to embrace it all.
What does applying this idea look like in your life? Here’s a couple examples:
We all want to be happy. Life is filled with obstacles to fulfilling that desire and we need to find a variety of ways to overcome them. Choosing to embrace it all is just one approach that’s been helpful for me. Look for the good, the beautiful, and the joyful in every season. Choose to embrace it all. If you do, you’ll take another happy step toward Becoming Yourself.