How Am I Supposed to Have a Happy Labor Day?

Happy Labor Day!

Or restful.

Or lazy.

Or fun.

Or whatever. 

I'm taking the day off. I have to deal with the end of summer. I'm not ready for fall and dying flowers, cold days, less sunlight, and closing my pool.

I need to sulk. 

Photo courtesy of Flora Westbrook, Pexels. 

Char

A Matter of Perspective

Ahh, autumn. Nature's palette of fiery reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, and almost every color in between, create a storm of astounding color. The poking, prying fingers of chill winds seek to insert themselves under skirts, over cheeks, and into eyes. We snuggle into thick woolen sweaters, waterproof boots, and down laden jackets.

We seek comfort in hot chocolate, spiced coffees, and flavored brandies. Frost on our car inspires us to bake breads and pies, roast turkeys, mix up a batch of cookies.

We look forward to cuddling up with loved ones in front of a campfire or fireplace, beloved pet at our feet, feeling safe and warm and blessed.

Don't you have a cozy feeling? Aren't you feeling good?

I'm not.

My pool is closed.

There are blankets on my bed. The flannel jammies are under the pillow. Sweatshirt goes where I go. My hands and nose are cold. The cat has stopped shedding (okay, that's a good thing). My garden is dead.

Anyone who knows me, knows THIS is me:

But I can write about autumn and make you think I like it because I try to think from the perspective of people who love it.

Just because I write something doesn't mean that it's me. I can write about villains and bad things people do and that doesn't mean it's what I want to do. I'm just looking out from a different perspective.

Can you stand away enough from something to see the opposite perspective?

Char

That's A Wrap.

Anyone who really knows me knows that I am a summer gal. I live for my pool and 85+ degree days. Humidity doesn't bother me, and I could get by on 2 weeks of cold (1 for Christmas to feel in the holiday spirit, and one to spend the week skiing, playing in the snow.) That's it. Fall is... depressing. It's the end of my favorite season, end of vacations, end of long days and short warm nights.

I fight it as much as I can, but the day I wake up and have to wear pants because it's too cold for shorts (even if it gets warmer during the day) is the day I throw up my hands and give in to the darkness.

Like losing a pet, moving away, changing your life in some major way, autumn is a time I have to force myself to move forward, not give in to melancholy. Oh yes, there are thick soft sweaters, hot cocoa, burnished leaves, book snuggles by the fireplace.

But I hate the cold and the long dark.

It means jumping out of the shower as fast as I can, wearing socks because my feet are always numb, blowing on my fingers while I wait for the car to heat up. And stumbling around in the dark at 5 p.m.

Yes, this is all very depressing.

I can't live like that.

So what do I do?

I surround myself with beauty.  Here's my house: my kitchen table.

That's my dining room table.

The mantle over my corner fireplace.

A table in my living room.

I have more pumpkins and fall-sy things scattered around the house, but you get the idea. Vibrant color helps cheer me.

So if you have to move on from a rough spot- poor health, loss of a friend, change in lifestyle, rejection of a novel, etc., surround yourself with reminders of what makes you happy.

Char