A change of season

What's your favorite season of the year?

I have noticed that I as go through the seasons of my life, a change has occurred in what I consider my favorite season.

Had I been asked that question when I was a child, my favorite season would have been summer, hands down.

Like every child, it was a time to revel in the concept of no more school studies, no more bed times, and no more rules. It was the sweet freedom everyone craves, and it was mine for 3 months.

That warm weather, swimming in the neighborhood pool and riding my bike wherever I went made my life perfect. The days were endless, which meant time outdoors just went on and on. Nothing was nicer than a lazy summer evening on the porch listening to the parents and grandparents tell stories of their youth.

Growing up, it was my perfect season.

When I became a mother, my perfect season altered a little.

I still enjoyed the freedom of summer, but my favorite season shifted to spring. Somehow, the green coming back to the earth and the smell in the air gave this stay-at-home mother the hope that the long winter indoors would soon give way to the promise of being outdoors.

The layers of clothing that had been required for the 15 minutes of wintertime fun suddenly shifted, and a sweater was all my little ones needed to go outdoors. It was a mother's heaven.

Those walls that had closed in on me for the last few months no longer held me captive. With a swing of the screen door, the world opened up for us. And it was good.

These days, I still enjoy that thrill of the warm weather that spring brings. And I look forward to the hot summer evenings of sitting outdoors and talking.

But I must admit, by the end of the summer, I'm ready to be done with the yard work. I'm ready to rest a little from the bike rides, and from the running and craziness of summer. I'm ready for the leaves to turn orange and yellow, and the grass to quit growing.

I'm ready for a rest. I'm ready for a warm sweater, a crisp apple, and a blue October sky. I'm ready to stay indoors and read a book, and not feel guilty doing only that. To me, that's a right of autumn.

I think that in this season of my life, fall is my favorite time of year.

Not long ago I told my husband that I thought our house looked its best in the fall. The decorations and the colors just make it look so inviting that I felt drawn home. And as I go through the seasons of my life, I realize that's not a bad invitation.