I don’t know about the weather where you are, but here in Virginia, autumn came rather abruptly. It was warm and sunny throughout most of September and then, literally overnight, cold winds began to blow.

Summer is gone. Autumn is here.

I love summer and I particularly loved this past one. I engaged in a lot of outdoor activity, including running through nature trails as I trained for a marathon. I went to the beach at sunrise. I hung out on restaurant patios late at night and stared up at the stars.

Now, I could lament that summer is over. After all, fall generally means less outdoors and less sunshine. The days slowly get darker and shorter. For kids, vacation time is over and they have nine long months of school to endure.

Sometimes it’s a bummer when things change.

All you can think about is how good you had it – how much fun you used to have. You look at the times you’re in now and they aren’t the same. It can make you sad… yes, that’s one way you could take it.

Or, you could look forward to everything that a new season has. Autumn brings with it woolen scarves, crisp breezes, wearing jackets, apple cider, the start of football season, and piles of leaves ready for you to jump in. I love driving along the interstate highways and seeing all the trees dressed in gold, orange and red as the leaves change colors.

Autumn may not be summer, but it’s beautiful in its own way.

Just as the seasons in nature change, the seasons of your life change as well. Your marital status changes. Your children grow up and move out. You land jobs and lose jobs. In any aspect of your life, you can and will move from a place of security into the unknown.

I hope you can find a way to embrace the beauty of a new season. Know that nothing stays the same forever, and that’s actually a good thing.

Want more inspiration? Read Inspiring Quotes About Autumn.