Sunday Snippet: The It’s Officially Autumn Edition
I read an article a few years ago that talked about Autumn resolutions–how they’re much easier than New Year’s resolutions because they’re inner resolutions. A fall renewing of your spirit and determination. I like that idea—just a quiet resolve to do better.
The worrying thing will need work this fall–the knot in my stomach is back, I think mostly because of politics. That whole situation terrifies the tar outta me, but outside of voting, what can I do? I need to do something, so I’ve volunteered to work the polls for the first time in at least 20 years. Otherwise, I’ll just live my life, love my family and friends, and try to do good where I can. Oh, and remember to breathe . . . Good resolutions for this 2024 autumn, don’t you think?
Clichéd as it might be to say this, it seems the older I get, the faster time goes by and suddenly, it’s fall and we’re cleaning out the gardens out front and I’m wondering what the hell happened to summer. I feel like time’s zipping by in one of those flippy calendar timelines they used to use in the movies to show the passage of months and years.
But fall has always been my favorite time of year, maybe because I was born in late September, and I think of myself as a fall baby. But since we got our lake cottage, summer has ranked pretty high on the favorite seasons list, too. This year, though, I’m kinda ready for cooler nights and crisp days, jeans and sweatshirts, and apples from the orchard. I just turned 71, and I’m full of wonder about that. First, that I made it to 71–genetics does not play in my favor when it comes to a long life, and second, that I feel really good. I’m so grateful to my cardiologist and the miracle of modern medicine. I will continue to do exactly as she says, take my medicine faithfully, and move, move, move my body.

I’m hoping that fall will bring more writing time. I have a deadline coming up right after the holidays, and although I’m not stalled out at all, I just haven’t made time for writing as much as I should. I’ve let book promotion and editing work get in my way, even in the early mornings. It’s time to get back to writing before anything else happens each day. I do my best writing when I am disciplined about getting out of bed at 6 a.m., sitting down at the computer, and getting words in.
But if I am the writer that I claim to be, that I want to be, shouldn’t I be able to write, no matter what? No matter where? No matter when? I always maintain that writing is essential to who I am and it is, but there are days, now and again, where I want the people in my head to just sit quietly for just a little bit, while I take a deep breath and recenter.
Gratitude for this week: Nice time out on the lake this week before we pulled the boat and saw it safely to winter storage (thanks, Ken!); did the summer/winter closet changeover and I’m enjoying my sweaters again; the gardens are getting put to bed for winter; time with Grandboy this week; enjoying being back home in the city and watching the trees in the ‘hood change.
Stay well, breathe in the crisp fall air, always choose kindness, and most of all, mes amis, stay grateful!
4 Comments
Liz Flaherty
We are definitely having some pretty days!
Roseann McGrath Brooks
Happy fall! I’ll borrow your resolution to just breathe. Be careful, too, to avoid those “shoulds” in terms of what is expected of a writer. You’re a writer, and the way you do it is the “right” way for you. (I have similar “shoulds,” and they get in the way of that breathe advice!)
Latesha B.
Sounds like a great week for you, Nan. Hope this week is just as productive.
Janine
I can’t wait for fall to officially hit here. It still feels like hot summer (and I am not a fan of Texas summer).