Today I smelled the change in the air, that slight crispness we all recognize. The transition from summer to fall is my favorite seasonal shift. Electricity surges through our spaces. My niece FaceTimed to show me her new pink backpack full of carefully chosen school supplies, two new teeth barely breaking through the gaps in her gummy grin. She spun the phone on my two-year-old nephew, who mirrored her smile and squeaked, “Hiiii!” My first time hearing him say it. Fall is not only the time leaves turn colors and we eat more candy than is good for us; It is a season of reflection and renewal. We sweep the summer sand out the door and replace it with freshly cleaned sneakers. Our wardrobes refresh as back-to-school sales tempt new sweaters to cover spaghetti straps. We find we’ve grown too big or too small or too trendy for last year’s jeans and add them to the Donation Pile in the corner of the bedroom. Our tongues instinctively crave pumpkin spice and apple cider as streaming services push “Gilmore Girls,” Hocus Pocus, and Beetlejuice. People start to throw around the word “cozy.” I used to not understand these sorts of yearly ritual changes. I thought my mom was crazy to decorate the house every couple of months, from Easter pastels to beach umbrellas and shells, from painted pumpkins to Christmas trees. What’s the point? But a friend of mine who loves every holiday, every changing marker, told me how beautifully these days of importance function as chapters of our lives, bookmarks for reflection. And she is right. My memory does section off my histories into seasons. Volleyball summer tournaments switching into months of regional competition. The longest day of winter, celebrating the light coming back. My parents’ anniversary on the first day of spring: a day of awe and admiration for two people intentionally loving each other for so many years. As we transition into this fall season, crack open that new planner or notebook. Allow yourself to remember where you were at the beginning of the summer. Have you begun any relationships? Did you try something new? What skins have you shed? What muscles have you strengthened? Write down the things you want to remember about this summer 2025, then determine a goal for the fall. What change would you like to see in yourself? What do you want to celebrate come December? Finally, share what you’ve written with a friend, a partner, a child. Let them know who you’ve become and how lucky we are to share in this season together.