A chill in the air, fiery leaves rustling in the autumn wind and crunching underfoot, the smell of rain, the somberness of a cloudy day, the warm spices imbuing you with a cozy joy — there are so many beautiful things about fall.
Everything somehow seems calmer, slower, more peaceful, more contemplative during this season. Summer always feels busy; the heat seems to electrify the atoms of life with energy and excitement, galvanizing them into a warm, steady, hazy buzz that envelops and overwhelms you. It’s almost like you’re submerged in water: everything seems almost muffled, blurred as it all rushes by in the heat. My gaze is outward rather than inward during the hot months: the enthusiasm of the outside world absorbs me wholly.
Autumn, however, is quiet and unassuming. It is not flashy or distracting in its display but gentle and comforting. Autumn feels like a relieving exhalation, like a gentle, consoling caress. I feel as though I am able to rest and to return to myself during this slow, calm season, to composedly return to thoughtful introspection.
The summer heat can feel oppressive; the autumnal cold allows me to breathe. I feel like I can finally draw in a deep breath during the cooler months, with the slight sting of the frosty air in my lungs providing an enlivening frisson of pleasure. The bite of the cold somehow sharpens my awareness: my gaze feels keener and my mind clearer. Everything seems more boldly outlined, somehow more real and tangible, in a way.
Although autumn in Texas often arrives rather late, I am greatly looking forward to the arrival of this soothing season.