Sunday Chapter: Making Room for Fall -

There’s something about this time of year that always makes me stop and take notice. Summer is my favorite season with Fall a close second. Summer isn’t quite over, but you can feel the change beginning. The kids are heading back to school, mornings are a little cooler and it’s already starting to get dark earlier in the evening. And even though there are still plenty of vegetables growing in the garden, I’ve already been thinking about what comes next.

This weekend, I planted for a Fall harvest in my garden. I put some new vegetables into the ground, cleaned up some plants to see if they will thrive again in the cooler weather, and pulled out some plants that have finished producing. And honestly, there’s something bittersweet about that. You spend months growing, watering, weeding, trying to protect from bugs, and waiting for harvest. Then in the blink of an eye, you realize the season is over. But that’s gardening, isn’t it? Everything has a season.

This year I’ve been trying to get better at recognizing when something has finished its purpose instead of hanging onto it simply because I’m not ready to let it go. That applies to more than my garden. Life has a funny way of moving us into new chapters whether we’re ready or not. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we choose the change, and sometimes the change chooses us. I’m learning that a new chapter doesn’t mean the old one wasn’t good, it just means there’s something new for us waiting to grow.

This weekend while I was cleaning out my garden and planting for Fall, I decided that I’m going to try to be present and really enjoy the transition this year instead of rushing through it. There is still plenty of time for dirt under my fingernails, lots of weeds I’ll probably miss, and no doubt something I have planted will fail to set fruit. But that’s okay. I’m learning as I go. And maybe that’s what this chapter of my life is all about, making room for a new season in the garden, for a new season at home, and for whatever this next chapter of life has waiting for me.

In the “four seasons of life” metaphor, Fall is said to represent the season of golden maturity and wisdom. So here’s to this Fall chapter with transitions, preparation and getting more comfortable with the idea that sometimes we have to clear some space before something new can grow. What are you making room for?

Here are a few garden photos from this weekend!