Seasons

The seasons are turning, around here in Denver. This past week it was in the mid- to upper 90's all week, until this weekend when cool fresh air came in over the mountains and seems to have settled over town for a while. This is Denver, which means we'll have plenty more hot days in store before any snow falls, but in the five-day forecast there are currently no days predicted over 90, and several that won't make 80, and that pleases me more than I expected it would.

Mind you, I've been looking forward to cooler weather for some time now-- since summer began, basically. Fall is one of those rare times of year when my apartment is actually comfortable, temperature-wise. But I wasn't looking forward to the end of the summer, which seems to have finally come. Now I'm trying to squeeze in some last hikes (since I've started Saturday classes, and football season is soon upon us) and opportunities for warm-weather garb before it's time to figure out where I packed away all my sweaters last spring.

But the change of seasons is good. I don't usually much look forward to fall, but that's mostly just because I know it is followed by winter, and I am not one for the cold... or the dark. If winter wasn't so dark, I'd like it so much better. The dark is so confining. But fall itself, is really quite lovely. It's not remotely actually fall yet, but the last two nights I slept with a blanket on for the first time in months. Today I made a cup of hot tea to drink while I read on the couch (all summer my apartment has been more likely to instill the urge to remove as much clothing as possible, immediately upon returning to it) and Potok picked his way across the window ledge and climbed into his cozy bed, something he has not done in a long time either. When I got up this morning, he was curled atop a throw on the back of the couch, so cozy he just peeked at me sleepily and didn't even lift his head till I came over to pet his furry head.

Fall means changing colors (not so much so here in Colorado, though the aspens are nice), jeans, cozy hoodies, scarves with sweaters, hot tea, cute jackets, cool winds that refresh you and flush your cheeks, football, my birthday. It wouldn't be half bad, if it didn't mean impending winter and months of dark.

I don't know what this season will hold for me, and some of the things I know it will hold, I'm already stressed about-- well, mainly just one, which is the beast of a process of applying for grad school (the actual applying I think I can manage. It's the figuring out where might take me, to even apply, that is at the moment quite daunting). Other things I'm more looking forward to-- the classes I'm taking this fall are much more interesting (and remarkably less torturous) than the last year of slogging through organic chemistry. I'm hoping to see the Lions play in Denver (I haven't seen them live in a non-preseason game since shortly after I moved out here). I want to do something-- or maybe somethings-- really fun with friends for my birthday. I don't think I'm going to make it home for Thanksgiving, but I think I have options to be taken in for the celebratory meal here in town. Soon I should have Christmas plans figured out, and by then I would have most of the grad-school-applying hassle over with, for better or for worse-- and knowing how fast a season can go, that's something to look forward to, as well.

I've never had a summer fly by so quickly. I keep forgetting where I am in the year, it went so incredibly fast. I could feel it speeding along, all the while, but it was for good reasons-- evenings and weekends packed with girls' night dinners and Bible studies, celebrations of friends' birthdays, a bit of camping, more hiking, church, grilling, festivals, a visit with family... good things to make the time pass without notice. So I know the next summer will roll around quickly too. Some seasons seem to pass more slowly (can you say, winter?) but pass they do. That scares me a little, because I have no idea where next summer-- or next fall-- will find me, and am scared at my options. I don't want to leave Denver and my church and the wonderful friends I've made here, but staying here far away from family and other friends seems similarly unbearable. I can only trust that as the seasons turn, it will all work itself out and things will follow as they will.

Time to go grab a light blanket and put on water for another cup of tea as the windows-- which I shut for the first time last night-- let in a light, cool breeze. Where will this season take you?