Yes! I can announce proudly that I love AUTUMN! For a long time this year is the first time (yes, I am not kidding) that I feel excited about the season. In the years before, when autumn started to knock on my door I welcomed him with a dull, ‘are-you-here-again’ grimace on my face. I grieved the departure of the summer with sunshine and just wanted to survive autumn and its ’promises’ like cold, slush, rain and shorter daytimes. But this year something has changed in me. Again.

I had a day off and I did not have to rush anywhere. I was ambling in a beautiful, residential part of London surrounded by trees (this city can always surprise me with its hidden beauties) and I let my mind free. My thoughts slowly floated back couple days and recalled the memories of a conversation with an amazing person. He reminded me how much beauty hides in the leaves of the autumn trees. I slowed down my already very very slow steps – trust me slowing down is a huge challenge for me, because usually my normal pace is like I would take part in a walking-race – and I just observed, noticed and enjoyed the misty, bit chilly air. I do not even remember the last time I was grateful for the fallen leaves. For the yellows, browns, reds, oranges and innumerable shades of the season. Suddenly I saw myself again as a small child walking happily home from the kindergarten kicking and playing with the fallen leaves.. and I did not need more reminder… I started to play joyfully and freely on that October day. It felt so good to touch, to drop the leaves and did not care about what the lady walking in front of me thought. Yes! This the AUTUMN I like and for a long time I forgot.

I feel lucky, because I live in a country where I can experience the four seasons. During that autumn stroll I realized that seasons (and nature generally with its cycles) smuggle a healthy balance in our lives. You can rely on them, because every year they return, but after three months they also bring changes in our lives. We know none of them stays forever, but every year they come back with their unique characteristics.

What does autumn brings? What do I see if I personalize autumn? I see a mature person in front of me with an unfailing wisdom. It is not a surprise that in this season even the nature motivates us to reflect, summarize and turn a bit more inwards with wisdom. Daytimes are shorter and even the weather becomes grumpy, as an old professor, who sends us home to spend more time with ourselves to get our homework ready.

During the season it feels so good to grab a mug of hot chocolate, tea or mulled wine, snuggle in a cozy chair with a warm blanket and just be and reflect. As the trees shed their leaves without attachment to make space for the spring renewal after the resting period of winter, we’re also reminded that we, too, can discard ideas and habits that no longer serve us so that we can make way for eventual growth. But to let something new in our life we have to make space, we have to declutter our soul. And this is scary. We got used to the ‘old’ and we know it so well that we feel paralyzed to let it go. What does happen if we let it go? What does wait for us? What does wait for us if we get rid of something that is too tight or too loose and does not serve us anymore? For the renewal we need to slow down or have to even stop and turn inwards.

This autumn let’s give a bit more care and time for our body and soul. With a nice stroll, a hot bath, a soft scarf or sweater…

PS: And do not forget to give thanks… Every day!