As I type this, the temperature is currently 95 degrees in the town where I live. There’s a heat advisory so my son’s cross country practice is canceled. The one-minute walk from the Target to my car in the parking lot left me with visible sweat rings under my boobs. But last night I walked into the backyard and there was the slightest, almost imperceptible, tingle in the breeze and I felt it: IT’S FALL. I mean, it’s not technically autumn until late September, but I need it now.
The Weighted Blanket of Seasons
I do this every year. With the start of every season, I’m filled with the naive hope of a fresh start. But fall is special. Fall is the weighted blanket of all the seasons.
Summer is so hectic with her expectations of family joy and relaxation. By the end of August, I’m deflated that somehow we didn’t check enough boxes. Was our brief vacation relaxing enough? Did we spend enough quality time together? Did we create lifelong memories? Nope. Nope. And Nope.
Fall is a fresh start before the holiday slide. June and July were all “Hot Girl Summer!”
Fall is like “Elastic Waistbands Only!”
The time between Summer and December is like a hug from mom, a movie night on the couch, charred marshmallows around the fire pit. There’s no expectation of grand vacations or the pressure of over-the-top gift giving. Fall is simple. And I need it now.
Fall Will Fix It
We’re 18 months into a global pandemic and it seems like the world is on fire. I’ve become accustomed to this low-level anxiety that vibrates through my day. Last year, I started saying “Fall will Fix It!” so often we made this video about it. It’s a punchline in our house. Uncertain schools will stay open? Don’t worry, fall will fix it! Did you just watch a video of mothers passing their babies to strangers to flee a country? It’s okay, fall will fix it! The more dire the situation, the more manic my response. FALL WILL FIX IT!
So here I am. The heat has my mascara melting off my face. I’ve reapplied deodorant four times but I’m pretty sure the stink is now permanent. We’re in the devil days of summer, but my heart feels a little lighter knowing fall is just around the corner.
