Is Fall Your Favorite Season?

When asked what our favorite season is, most people say it’s Fall.

We are hugely influenced about what our favorite season is by where we live and how old we are. But overall, Fall ranks as the favorite.

Is Fall your favorite season? And why do we say Fall is the best?

Topping the list is Fall foliage. The changing colors of the leaves makes people think it is the most beautiful season.

Second is the weather. After slogging through months of summer heat and humidity people look forward to a little nip in the air and making the switch to slightly warmer clothing. 

Third is that many feel it is the best time of year for travel. Most people feel the best time to enjoy Fall is the first two weeks in October.

Foodies look forward to specialties such as hot mulled cider, homemade soups, getting out their pumpkin recipes, and baking anything with apples in it.

Fall brings the anticipation of Halloween fun for kids and Thanksgiving, the only major holiday that doesn’t require gifting.

I’m ready to make the transition to Fall, to switch from burgers on the grill to a roast in the oven; to trade a summer evening on the porch for a fall evening in front of the fireplace.

There was a time when fall meant football for my husband and me. As a life-long Steelers fan he followed football with a passion and zeal that was almost obsessive! We had our terrible towels! We watched on Monday nights, Thursday nights, and all day Sunday. We looked forward to Sunday football days. Brunch at 1 in front of the TV … ending with Al and Chris bringing us the Sunday night game.

The family room in our PA home is a tribute to all things Steelers. For years Christmas gifts to my husband were something to add to his team collection. A commemorative plaque for their 6 Super Bowl wins. Lots of Steelers memorabilia on the walls. Steelers throw pillows on the leather sofa. There’s a Steelers Mr. Potato Head on the end table. Steelers snack bowls at the bar, and Steelers glasses and serving bowls.

In August we’d go to Latrobe and watch the Steelers at their summer training camp. We’d check out the new players, see if we thought Big Ben was up to quarterbacking another season. All to be ready for the first fall game.

But now we no longer do any of that.

After a lifelong love affair with the Steelers my husband has walked away from that relationship. He loved the game; could call the plays and stats as good as any pro announcer. But when it started to transition from a game, a competition of skill and strategy, into a forum for political statements,  controversy, and the airing of personal grievances and criticisms by athletes making more money in one year than most people make in a lifetime, the enjoyment was gone.

The hypocrisy of political groups, of the woke culture, of special interest groups on both the left and right ends of public policy and social issues, of wealthy celebs tweeting their opinions from the protection of their gated mansions, and the political class who no longer serve the people but use their positions to gain wealth and power … all of that is killing enjoyment in America.

The average American is tuning out. Ratings for what were always the top shows on TV have been falling. The Super Bowl, the World Series, Basketball Playoffs, The Olympics, The Academy Awards, The Emmy Awards … all have fewer people watching.

With Covid keeping us in our homes you might think we would watch more TV, not less. Although, change may be in the air. The first game of this year’s NFL season saw a 20% jump in audience from last year.

Like the color of leaves in fall, change can be good!

This fall I hope we are in for a season of change for the better. Change that will bring more positive messages in our media. Change that will have us listening to each other instead of shouting at each other.  Change where people with different opinions, viewpoints, and experiences will have friendly conversations and exchange ideas that build respect and understanding.

Change that will allow each of us to look and think beyond personal slights, insults, and biases to overcome them instead of using them as excuses to destroy the life of another person.

Yes, fall is my favorite season, and this year, along with the changing colors of the leaves, I will enjoy a mug of hot buttered rum or mulled cider and hope for changes that will get us through the winter ahead into a better new year in 2022.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald