I have to admit. Autumn always gives me mixed feelings. It makes me sad because it's the end of summer and all things warm, but at the same time it forces me to have this appreciation for something new, the change in seasons. In autumn, the evening sun runs red, while low mists diffuse the yellow dawn light. Huddles of mushrooms peep out from orange leaves, which leave a crunch beneath heavy boots.
Going for a walk in my neighbourhood, autumn looks like that of a postcard. The grass is long and luscious, windswept leaves cover the ground, chestnut and oak trees have shed their fruit, and smoke billows out from distant chimneys.
I recently pulled out this ratty bobble-covered red-pink jumper that I bought from Urban Outfitters years ago. It slouches around my body, the material is slightly stretched out now so the sleeves hang below my knuckles. In all honesty, I should probably get rid of it, but it’s cosy and I purchased it when I lived in Boston. Memories are woven into the stitching; memories that I’m not yet ready to let go of.
But while the setting looks like something out of a Jane Eyre book, the colder seasons hit me harder, emotionally. Depression settles into my bones and I find it hard to be motivated to do anything. The sun doesn’t poke through the clouds till much later so the days roll themselves out even more slowly.
In a world of excessive positivity where mindset plays a role in everything we do, I’ve recently been trying to change how I perceive my little world. I’ve changed the people I follow on social media so my feed is now filled with exciting recipes, book recommendations, home decor, and autumn and winter trends. I’ve tapped into my creative energy with cooking and I’m taking my camera with me whenever I can, hoping to spot some inspiration.
So this year, as the cold creeps closer, I'm seeing this season differently. I'm now seeing this season in all it has to offer. Steaming hot coffees are far more enjoyable on a Monday morning when the weather is cold outside. I can fully embrace a piping hot piece of buttery apple crumble. In the early hours of the morning with dew still settled on the grass, despite the chill, it is utterly beautiful. We are one step closer to winter, one step closer to a new year, a fresh start.
Five things I read this week:
Roses’s - The Secret Joy of Lady No Kids
Small Stories by Laura Pashby’s - The Sense of an Ending
The Cut’s - Why Are We Still So Scandalized by Cheating?
NPR’s - A 'Great British Bake Off' Episode Stereotypes Mexican Culture
Griefbacon’s - October