The first day of fall is on September 23 this year and the expected temperature for Charlotte, NC on that day is 92F.

That is not fall weather to me. When I think of fall, I think of: hot chocolate, warm scarves, snuggly sweaters, jeans, fluffy wool socks… Let’s face it – 92F is just too hot for all of that.

On the first day of fall, you’ll more than likely find me in shorts and slip-on shoes. The leaves are starting to turn anyway in my yard and my cherry trees began to shed a few weeks ago. My yard is becoming littered with leaves that float to the ground and will not be returned back to the branches where they grew. They will be recycled and become part of the soil that nourishes new growth.

It really is too hot for fall, in my opinion, but the season says that it is here even though the climate does not support the fact. I will be watching the trees anyway and enjoying the colors that make their way to the ground and reminding myself how beautiful it is to let things go. There will be new growth, new seeds will take root, new people and opportunities will come into our lives and we’ll realize that there is always a new story to tell, even if the climate is not ideal.