Chapter Four: Autumn

Autumn. The crisp, crunch of leaves. The cool, brisk air. Cozy colors, warm sweaters, and scarves. The warmth of hot tea and coffee as you’re reading a new book or gazing into the glow of a bonfire. All these things and more wrap up to make autumn my favorite season.

Seeing the leaves change colors excites me! It means cozy clothes, brisk walks, and fall decorations. I enjoy pulling out scarves and sweaters that were once put away for summer. The old sweatshirt that you refuse to get rid of, instantly becomes useful again. Thus the reason you never get rid of it! Taking walks with friends or siblings becomes a thing you enjoy. And the decorations are my favorite. I’m not talking about Halloween décor, no, real fall décor. The hay bales and happy looking scarecrows. The pumpkins and gourds that cover front porches and kitchen tables. The candy corn and pumpkins that fill pumpkin shaped candy dishes. It’s so inviting and cheerful.  

Two of my many favorite things would be apple cider and caramel apples. Mmm!! So tasty. Warm apple cider is the best. With its sweet, tangy taste and crisp, apple smell it warms me up just thinking about it. Caramel apples coated with nuts are delicious. You have to get the good apples though. There are some and the apple is small, and mushy. Bluck. No good. Go for the big firm apples!

Autumn is fun because you get to have bonfires with friends and look at the stars on clear nights. Having a bonfire is fun anyway, but add a cool night, a warm blanket, and a few friends and it’s instantly ten times better. I love looking up in the sky and seeing the stars. And clear autumn nights are perfect for that. When the weather is just right, or after a rain storm and the sky has just cleared. Oh, man. It’s breathtaking. The stars seem to shine extra bright as if they know you are waiting for the show to start.

How can something be so beautiful when it’s dying? I have often wonder this when looking at the leaves changing colors. They are breathtaking. But they are on their way to shedding their leaves and hibernating for the winter. Everything is dying, yet it’s so beautiful. I don’t understand why that is. However, it makes me very thankful that God can make something beautiful even when it is dying. It makes me think of my own life. When I am struggling to understand what God is doing, or why I’m going through the things I am, the autumn season reminds me that God has a plan. And though I may feel like I am dying, He is still making me beautiful.