Fall is Back!

Now that school has started, we can look forward to the future.  Summer is at an end and as we enter the fall season, we must spend a few minutes to think about what we have in front of us.   The new season opens an endless number of possibilities.  We have new things to look forward to and must plan accordingly. 

Sports are Back

Now that most schools have started in person learning again, they have also started to have some regularity around sports programs.  Fall football has started to regain its former glory and has started to be a hot topic of discussion.  It does not matter what level of play you follow; odds are you will enjoy watching and talking about it.  For some of us that means closely watching the NFL, for others its all about college or high school football programs, and for some of us our attention is solely focused on little league programs.  Furthermore, there are tons of major sports going on that do not involve football.  Soccer and volleyball seasons are in full swing and so is cross country and field hockey.  Additionally, there are tons of smaller sports that exist, too many to name.  Just remember that the fall sports season is about having fun.  Yes, it is always more enjoyable to win but participating and having fun are important as well.

Crazy Weather

The upcoming fall season brings with it a drastic climate change.  Days are getting shorter, and storms are increasing.  The area of the country you live in has a direct impact on what to expect from a climate perspective, but no matter where you live one thing remains constant.  The weather will start to change.  It is important for all of us to take a few minutes to prepare for what the future brings.  The best way to do this is to ensure you are prepared.  Make sure you have enough food for a few days if you get stuck at home.  Buy some extra batteries and flashlights so you are ready if the power goes out.  Finally, make sure to do a good inspection of your home and property to ensure you are ready for whatever weather conditions might come your way.  If you wait for something to go wrong odds are you will pay more for the repair.  Emergency maintenance is far more expensive than preventative repairs.  So be proactive and get ready for whatever mother nature throws at us in the fall season.

Seasonal Activities

Every season has its share of activities that is unique and can only be done in a short time window.  Now is the best time to start thinking about what you want to see during the fall of 2021.  Harvest festivals are plentiful and lots of local farms have activities for the whole family.  You can go apple picking, hiking through a forest to watch the leaves change colors, and go to a pumpkin patch to pick out your pumpkins for Halloween.  If you do a good enough job, you can even use it to make Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.  These are just a few examples of family fun activities that you can do in the fall.  The possibilities are endless.  Just remember to be smart and use your time off wisely.  Unfortunately, fall will eventually end and winter will come.

Less Stress

One of the best parts about being an adult in the fall is that we should have a little more free time.  Especially this year, because most kids have gone back to school in some capacity. Last year was a very challenging fall season for most of us.  We were scrambling trying to figure out how to balance monitoring our children’s remote learning with doing our own jobs.  Almost all our free time went into parenting or working.  Watching our children get on the bus for their first week of school brought more than the normal excitement for most of us.  It was a huge burden removed.  We all love our children but going to school and being around their peers is good for them.  They need to learn and grow without us always looking over their shoulder.  It helps them learn to be independent and responsible for their own actions.  Most parents were under huge amounts of stress and going back to a little more normalcy should help relieve some pressure.  We now have a few more hours each day to focus on our work and other responsibilities.  Just remember to use this time wisely and efficiently. If you make the most of it your stress level should drop at least a little bit.   Finally, it is important to acknowledge that there is some fear about our children going back to social setting.  COVID-19 is still a threat.  We just must make sure we all are doing our parts to ensure that everyone we are around can stay safe.

The fall of 2021 will be unique.  That statement can accurately be made regarding the start of any season.  Every new season brings with it new challenges and new barriers.  We must remember to stay openminded and positive.  We must not let the challenges define who we are.  We should let our actions in response to them dictate our moods and our character.  Finally, remember to enjoy the season.  There are always good memories to be made.