Why I Love Autumn

Word Count: 402
Beginning: Turning my thoughts to Autumn in Wisconsin
Setting: Looking out my window on a cool, windy day
Plot: Why I love Autumn
Ending: All of the seasons are important


Autumn is coming like a speeding freight train! While the leaves have yet to complete their transition from green to the gorgeous yellows, oranges and reds which they so excellently accomplish each and every year, the chill in the air makes it clear that autumn is indeed on its way.

It is a comfortable time of year equal to its counterpart, spring. Autumn dutifully drives the stifling hot, humid temperatures away, allowing us to breathe cool but fresh, comfortable air. Yes, it makes me aware that the season I dread most, winter, is going to make an appearance in a few months, but for now, I focus on autumn alone.

Autumn brings with it one of my favorite occasions… Halloween! Living in a large apartment complex, my little granddaughter, nearly three, will bring joy and laughter to all of us. Last year, when Emma was a novice, she quickly became adept at ringing door bells and gleefully yelling 'trick or treat.' I had more fun watching her than I ever did participating in the event when I was a child.

Mothers of young babies and children also appreciate autumn for the mere fact that it gets dark earlier. Summer affords daylight until nearly 10 p.m. whereas autumn brings darkness to the skies by 7 p.m., thus allowing little ones to be tucked into bed at a much more appropriate time. Since young children cannot tell time, they depend largely on what the sky tells them…daylight is playtime, darkness is bedtime.

Autumn is also a great time for corn roasts. Gathering around the fire pit with a group of friends, stories to tell, games to play, laughter to be had, and blessings to share. Nothing is better to calm the soul and rejuvenate the spirit.

Falling leaves... with rake in hand, the chore of making a huge pile of leaves is good exercise for the adults, and pure anticipation for the youngsters who will, of course, be jumping in that pile when the raking is completed. It has been many years since I partook of that delight, but I can still smell the rustic odor of a crisp pile of leaves.

Quite frankly, where would we be without autumn? What if spring and summer were immediately followed by winter? What a shock that would be to the system! Each of the seasons serves an important purpose, but autumn is by far my favorite.