“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” ~ Unknown
If the feel of the cooler, drier air, the sight of the varying shades of ruby, gamboge and auburn displayed as nature's eye candy, hearing the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, and the memory-laden smell of apples, cinnamon, and yes - the taste of everything pumpkin spice make you smile as big as when you finally get to slip back into your favorite snuggly sweater, then this is your season.
It's also the season of melancholy, but it's sadness is delivered in such a soothing, gentle way you can't help but understand there's beauty in letting things go. All of us at some time in our lives have had a friend of family member offer a compassionate ear and some wisdom from experience after a loss of a personal relationship or a fulfilling job we gave 100% to. We all felt the sting of betrayal at some point.
"Just let it go." It sounds so simple yet it feels so hard. We like belonging. We grow strong attachments. We fall so in love in a relationship that we can't separate the "me" from the "we." We submerge ourselves so passionately in our careers that we let a job title define who we are. But everything in life has a beginning, a transition and an ending. It's learning to make peace with the endings that's so hard. If you know about our Beach Inspired Intention Candles, you know how much we value peace of mind. If we're focused on the past, how can we enjoy the present?
Embracing Change
Change is one of the defining characteristics of the season. Temperatures drop, leaves change color, and the days gradually grow shorter. That makes fall the perfect natural time to rethink your attitude toward changes in your life and how to feel about them. The abundance of all the sensual pleasures to sight, sound, scent, taste and feel that autumn brings only last a season. Let go of summer, and fully embrace this one as it will soon transition to the next.
Hemingway said it best in "A Moveable Feast."
“You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen."
Experiencing autumn in West Central Florida is a bit different from my childhood experiences growing up in Northern Ohio. But I can get pretty close by lighting candles that scent the house with memories of jumping in leaf piles with my brothers, gathering apples in an orchard, baking treats with mom in the kitchen and sipping hot cider with a cinnamon stick.
This year we decided to create our own line of Autumn Intention Candles. We'll feature six complex scents to choose from; Cranberry & Clove, Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, Fallen Leaves, Snuggly Sweater, Apple Cider and Oak and Cinnamon Spice Cake. They'll be available on the site on Sept 21. You can find us at Oktoberfest on the Beach of Oct 8, and we're also hosting two Autumn Ambience Candle Pouring Parties at Island Cove Beads & Gallery on Oct 14th and 28th!
We intend to let summer go and fully embrace all the pleasures autumn offers the senses and all the nostalgia that comes with it.
