When I first moved to Mississippi eight years ago I missed my favorite season, fall.
I was waiting for a distinct weather change like I used to experience in the Midwest. With crisp, cool sun shiny days that turn chilly in the darkened evenings. Instead, the days stayed warm and humid, while the evenings became shorter and school was in full throttle.
I hesitated to put out pumpkins, or wear any shoes but flip flops. It didn’t feel like autumn.
Just as the leaves began to change colors, it was time to hang Christmas stockings, as Christmas and all kinds of rain had arrived.
I missed it.
I didn’t participate in the time of year the calendar reflected and my heart loved.
If you feel yourself hesitant in 2020 to participate in anything fully, because of ALL the changes, and your senses are confused, or you find yourself in flight or fight mode - it’s understandable.
Worldwide pandemics don’t happen often and all of us are testing out new ground and trying to figure things out as we go. “On the fly” decision making can be fun and it can also be burdensome and stressful.
Don’t forget to give yourself a break.
Breathe.
Recognize where you may need to make adjustments and recalibrate a little.
Don’t let your senses be the boss of you. Acknowledge them for sure, and then decide what you want to experience in this new space and time.
You get to choose.
“When we surrender our ability to choose, something or someone else will step in to choose for us.”– from the book, Essentialism: The disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
This past Labor Day weekend I got the itch to decorate for fall early and so I did. I put out a few pumpkins and scented candles and kept my air conditioner running at 68 degrees. My “Happy Fall Y’all” sign is sitting on the corner of the fireplace mantle and my heart feels happy.
The evenings may be getting shorter, with the sun setting sooner, but I’m determined to enjoy this time of the year, even if the weather isn’t what my senses tell me it should be.
No matter what is happening in the climate of our world, we can create what we want to encounter inside our homes and our hearts.
We do have a choice.
Even if your kids are learning virtually and you are not sure how much they are actually learning, or how much more flexibility your schedule can handle.
Or maybe your kids are attending school in person with weird schedules, masks, and not much feels normal yet, except that they are not home.
Maybe you don’t have kids, but you are concerned about elderly parents, or someone dear to you during this time of social distancing. It’s okay, the whole world is feeling weird right now.
Take a moment to choose what’s important to you.
Decide to create what you want to experience. Make a difference in the areas that count. Even if that is an attitude change, because that can change everything.
You have a choice.
Happy “early” Fall!