The Very Best Season Is Almost Here

For Me, Fall Tops Them All. Cannot Wait for Its Arrival Every Year

The Power of Seasons
It is hard to overstate the pleasure and power of seasons. For me at least, this is the benchmark by which time, nature, and life mark passages and progress. We lived for several years in Hawaii; a beautiful place for sure, but one lacking in seasons. There were rainy and dryer times of year, but nothing like a real passage of seasons. We found we really, really missed having them. The weather report on local news was about 30 seconds every day – “No change from yesterday.”

When one grows up with seasons, lacking those different views and transitions leaves a real gap. Sometimes the closest we could get to feeling a change was to drive around the island counter-clockwise rather than clockwise – at least things looked a little different. We very much enjoyed going to the Big Island of Hawaii and staying in some cabins most of the way up the mountain/volcano. It got cold enough there to use a fireplace, even got snow from time to time. But still, not a real season to be had. We missed it a lot.

So, Why Fall is Number 1?

You can have some lively discussions on what is “the best” season, and you can make a case for all four of them. The budding life of Spring, the laid-back relaxation of Summer, the bracing cold and warm fires of Winter – all are special, for sure. I  know I enjoy all four of them.

But for me, Autumn is as good as it gets. The color, of course is a constant joy. I never get tired of driving or hiking through Fall colors. We like to think we have the best colors in the world here along the Great Smoky Mountains, and I know New Englanders feel they claim that title. The truth is that the season is breathtaking everywhere it happens.

We have enjoyed the season in pretty well every part of the country. The colors, the crisp air, the ambiance of harvest season, the smell of a wood fire. I know, wood fires are polluting, but this one is a sin I gladly commit. Nothing better than starting and nursing along a good, crackling fire, with its smokey smell and glowing warmth.

More Than Color

As much as we love the color, there is also something bracing and refreshing about the increasingly chilled air and earlier sunsets that arrive. They are refreshing in the extreme, even if they also are a reminder that much colder weather is just around the corner.

I even like the fact that at some point (all too soon), those leaves will turn and fall off. It means the trees, which have been working so hard cleaning the air and producing what they need to live and be strong, finally get a well-deserved break. They almost seem to be wearing really bright, outlandish pajamas, then decide at the last minute to sleep in the nude. Nice.

Sneaking In Some Extra Time With A “Rolling Fall”
I enjoy the season so much that I cheat a bit most years to get some extra Fall into my calendar. We live alongside a fairly low mountain range, about 2,000 feet in elevation. Without going far, you can reach mountains of around 6,000 feet. That higher elevation usually means Fall at least a couple of weeks before our elevation gets around to Fall. With a bit of luck, it is possible to drive to the different elevations and 3-4 rounds of Fall.

Enjoy The Seasons

Whichever season you like best, revel in it, and enjoy the other seasons, too. They offer beauty, a refreshed perspective, and reassurance that while much of human existence is in constant flux and self-inflicted doubt, the seasons are eternal and timeless in a most reassuring manner, and could remain so forever, if only we stop messing with the climate.

Celebrate your season and be grateful for the opportunity to live in such glory.

Bill Clontz & Friend

If you find this blog worthy of your time and curiosity, I invite you to do three things:

(1) Join the conversation. Your voice counts here. If you wish to share COMMENTS anonymously, make the last word in your comment “PRIVATE.” I will assure your privacy via anonymity.

(2) Share the word about this post with friends and colleagues. Share a link in your emails and social media posts (https://agentsofreason.com).

(3) You are welcome to share this post with anyone. It is easy to pass on via email, of course, but also on Facebook, Blue Sky, LinkedIn, or Reddit; simply click on the links for these services at the end of this article.

Let’s grow our circle.