Autumn has always been my favorite season. Growing up in New England, I got to experience the full wonder of the four seasons. Now that we live across the country, the change of seasons is much later in the year and certainly not as profound.
Every chance I get, I love to visit home in the Autumn. And if I can’t make it back, I will order apple cider and apple cider donuts and have them shipped to me frozen. Because, seriously, why not? And I need these little reminders of home in my life!
But what I love about the transitional season of Autumn is the winding down of long summer days spent at the beach and in the pool to crisper mornings and the smell of the leaves after the rain. As the colors of the leaves change into vibrant various shades, and the evening air becomes filled with the scent of chimney smoke, the days get shorter. And soon the trees will shed their leaves and Winter will arrive.
Autumn is not afraid to let go of certainty. It graciously lets go of what makes it a truly spectacular time of the year, knowing that it will experience it again soon. It knows that this season was just a chapter in their story and there are many more chapters to be written.
Embrace uncertainty. As much as the unknowns can feel scary, letting go and letting the universe unfold as it should offers something greater. It offers freedom.
While it is natural to want to control the things around us, the truth is, we will never have control over everything. What we will always have control over is how we choose to experience what is happening.
When we let go of what we cannot control, we are free to fully take in the present moment and enjoy it. For example, say you are in a long-distance relationship, and you are visiting your significant other. If you focus energy on how short your time together is, you will miss more opportunities to enjoy yourself and bond with him or her. But if you accept that you have a limited amount of time together and you are going to make the best of it, you will be free to really experience your time together and a make deeper connection.
Getting caught up in the negatives and ruminating on the things we cannot control simply rob us of joy and opportunity in the present. What are you afraid to let go of? What kind of opportunities would you have in the present if you chose to let go of it?
