Bittersweetness of autumn

If I had to choose one word to describe what this time of year means to me, the mood of the season, it would be "bittersweet." In many ways, I don't like fall. The diminishing hours of sunlight, the leftover childhood dread of a new school year, the sense of loss when frost kills the last flowers and with them the joys of summer, all combine to make me feel uneasy. By December, I'll be accustomed to the cold and the shorter days, but after 27 autumns I still fight the transition. And yet, I can't separate those things from the season's pleasures: days like yesterday and today when the sunlight is golden-crisp and the temperature is invigorating but comfortable, the stunning contrast of a flame-red maple tree against an intensely blue sky, the sweet smell of fallen leaves. The re-appearance of some of my favorite foods and beverages - tea, hot chocolate, cranberries, soups and stews; the remembered excitement of Halloween and the warm glow of Thanksgiving. Still and all, I think the greatest benefit of fall and winter is that they prevent me from taking spring and summer for granted!