Crisp

Today I felt that quintessential feeling of the fall crisp air. It brings a flood of memories of this very feeling throughout my life. It feels like change, it brings the word 'cozy' to mind, I feel a bit of an invigorated 'freshness' especially after walking and standing at a soccer game.

Whenever I get this 'tell tale' feeling of fall I seem to transport to 2 distinct memories of visiting my brother's while I was in college. They both lived in New England while I was in college and on two separate occasions they were my "home" during breaks because my parents were in Italy at the time. I have vivid memories of each visit and I can see my breath, feel my nose going cold, I imagine a nice bulky sweater to keep me warm and just a general surge of energy when you're out in that weather. I remember going to a football game at Holy Cross college and other fun shenanigans. I remember seeing James Taylor on the lawn. I remember walking on a waterfront and shopping in a small town. I remember a drive to see the leaves and to experience the natural beauty. I remember feeling a warm energy while also feeling the chill.

I like this feeling but it feels 'transitional'...that at some point the normalcy of the chill and the staying power of the cold no longer will have this 'first day of fall' kind of feeling. I guess that is important for all of us (at least those who live in an area with seasons) to grow 'ho-hum' about a phase so that when the next one comes, we're ready for the change. The transitions from Fall to Winter is not as 'marked' but it changes into an anticipatory feeling (probably due to the holidays and the first snow). The Winter to spring probably mirrors the intensity of summer to fall. The feeling of warmth and the visual cues are vivid and refreshing...and then spring to summer is again more 'anticipatory' of what adventures will be had over the summer.

I love witnessing what the seasons do for me and how I interpret my feelings during them. I have to say that the middle of winter is my most challenging time where I can be more unsettled, a little gloomy and feel more isolated...but I can guess that I'm not alone and I can guess that it comes with the territory.