Author’s Note: I wrote this in early November. I leave it here in the hopes that you can still pull some inspiration from this piece even though the season has passed. Hell, I might even share it again next fall. - Chad
Late summer. The days are long, the Saturday Market in Eugene, Oregon, is packed with music and tank-top wearing college students, and that hike you’ve been meaning to go on all summer can still be completed if you start around noon. The dog days are over, and the temperatures are starting cool off.
Then it happens. You wake up, and the clouds have rolled in bringing moisture from the coast. The wind picks up a little, and slowly but surely the leaves begin to lose the color they’ve been holding on to for the past several months. The sun begins to slip behind the ridgeline a little sooner each day. Finally, the rain arrives. The long dead lawns, abandoned in August, spring back to life. The color returns to the hillsides that have been dry for months. The entire valley bursts back into a deep emerald green color typically reserved for early spring in other places in the US. Fall has arrived in the Willamette Valley, and it’s time to settle in to a new season.
Fall is a beautiful time in Eugene. The leaves transform into their classic fall colors, and the fog rolling in each morning layers the mountains in a way that’s not unlike what I used to see in the mountains of where I grew up in North Carolina. It was November when I first moved to Eugene. Our new neighbor told us we arrived at the prettiest time of year. Although I’m not sure I agree, I can see why he said it.
For a long time to us humans this season was part of a deep connection to the earth. It was a busy time of harvest that was followed by celebration and preparation for the dark days that were on the way. It was also a time of reflection and finding spiritual balance, taking a moment to acknowledge the success and failures of the past and beginning to move forward. For far too many people these days, fall just means going to and from your job in the dark.
I tend to catch myself in endless existential loops this time of year because of this tonal shift in how we interact with these important earthly changes. In regards to these feelings of dread, I’m sure I’m not alone. Luckily, I’ve discovered a great way to break the ouroboros of modern humanity’s failure to recognize the seasons: getting out of your house.
That’s right folks, you heard if here first. Get up a little earlier, get outside, hop on the trail, walk around in the rain, and see if you don’t feel the connection to the earth that you’ve been missing. I encourage all of you take a moment in the woods to reflect on your own year. Understand and acknowledge your successes and failures. Then, let it go and prepare for the regeneration that winter brings. One helpful tip – learn to to embrace the weather. Dress appropriately and don’t be afraid to get a little mud on those new muck boots!
I also encourage you to get involved in your local community. I am fortunate that there is no lack of activities here, and the culture is unique and vibrant. Wherever you may be, try to find a show, take a class, or even join a club—the choice is yours. As for me, I’ll be wandering about the market in Eugene most Saturdays. If you see me around be sure to say hello!
Oh you captured Eugene at that time of year perfectly!