Autumn

At one time, spring was my favorite season. Now autumn holds that place in my heart. The crisp, cool air invites movement. Watching the green leaves of summer burst into fiery reds, oranges and yellows is amazing.

Soon pumpkins will dot the landscape. Chrysanthemums replace roses and azaleas. Wool, cable knit and flannel make a fashion comeback every autumn. A new school year heralds a new beginning. Students begin with a clean slate. Last years successes and failures are gone. Every student receives another chance to do well.

As the days shorten and darkness covers everything in its path each evening, I want to wrap the bold colors of autumn in my arms and hold on tightly. As the brightness of this season slips into another winter I'll cling to the memory of falling leaves, bonfires, football games, Homecoming weekends and Halloween. I'll cherish each moment and record it in my memory.

When the gray of winter settles in for the long haul, I will have those glorious fall portraits painted in my mind to bring color and warmth to the darkness. When I sit, covered in a quilt, on a winter's night, wondering if the cold and chill will ever end, I can go quietly to another place to temporarily escape winter's reality. I can remember the brisk beautiful days of autumn and look forward to the coming of spring.