So , according to the meteorological season , autumn starts on September 1st and ends on November 30th . According to the astronomical calendar , which is based on the position of the sun in relation to the earth , autumn begins this year on September 23rd and ends on December 22nd . No matter which calendar you follow , I have no doubt that , like me , you are already feeling the inevitable pangs of change and departure that come with fall . You know , it's a feeling so familiar and yet so hard to name . It elicits a kind of physical response in the pit of my stomach and it impulse to both hide and explore all at the same time . And the angle of the sun or the rustle of a tree branch against the cold blue sky can trigger it , at first lonely and ominous , and then just as quickly , vibrant and full ripe , with opportunities as plentiful as the harvest . A beginning and an ending all at the same time .
Lisa HopkinsYou know , psychologists say that the feelings that often crop up in the autumn stem from our discomfort with change and anxiety and uncertainty about what that change might bring . The melancholy we feel , they say , is a form of grief , mourning the loss of the long summer days . Nat King Cole nailed it when he called them those lazy , hazy , crazy days of summer . Don't you feel that somehow the longer summer days invite and encourage us to slow down and take our time , to play more and enjoy time with the people we love ? I feel that way , and yet there's never been a time when , even though we have slowed down , that I haven't felt like summer went by so quickly . That's the melancholy , I suppose . But I'm learning that you can't long for something if you didn't experience something wonderful enough to be missed in the first place . I think maybe wistful is a better word to describe how it feels to me , and if I stop thinking about what is gone , I can see much better what is here right now . There is a quintessential beauty to the fall season , as the leaves magically turn color and offer astounding views of the glorious nature of Mother Earth . The vibrant colors are matched only by the deep blue melancholy that accompanies the crisp air as the idle kayak knocks against the dock . But isn't that also wonderfully poetic in its loneliness ?
Lisa HopkinsI could choose to live in scarcity and mourn the loss of summer , or I can smile when I recall the early morning summer sounds of laughing ducks and seagulls singing high in the sky as they dive for fish . I could drown myself in worry about when I'll see my family next . Or I can feel my heart warm when I remember hosting my family gathering at the lake for the last weekend of summer . These memories are not being replaced now by the change of season . These memories are ours to keep and to take with us . Soon the skies will be ringing with the honking return of the Canada geese who , like bullies on the playground , take over the lake until the last vestige of open water freezes over and they finally migrate to warmer places for the winter . But you know , by that time we will be looking forward to the holiday season and , who knows , maybe , if we put our minds to it , maybe we will take the time to live in each moment and enjoy what the new season brings .
Lisa HopkinsSo if you're feeling that fall feeling today , as I am , you're not alone . But remember . Remember how brave you are . Remember that you have those memories and you keep them with you . And then curl up in a cozy corner and allow yourself . Allow yourself to feel all the feels again . Schedule some time for yourself to not worry about the future and not dwell on the past , on your favorite boots and sweaters . Breathe the fresh , crisp air linger in a bookstore and enjoy all the fruits of the harvest . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . Stay safe and healthy , everyone , and remember to live in the moment .