The Seasons Change and So Do We

August 14, 2026

by Shelley

I had one of those mornings today where you wake up in a full-blown panic because you think you missed the school bus…

Except I’m 37.

And I haven’t been in school for approximately 20 years. 😂

But tell my nervous system that.

I woke up, looked at the clock, and realized it was 9:59 AM. I had something scheduled for 10:00, and suddenly I was moving through my house like I was late for the most important exam of my life.

Coffee pot: ON.

Teeth: brushed.

Zoom: joined.

Somehow, I made it.

And honestly? After the week I’ve had, I think my body finally decided it was taking the morning off whether I agreed to it or not. I can’t remember the last time I slept past 7 AM, so maybe I needed it more than I realized.

After my meeting, I finally got to slow down.

I sat with my coffee, took a breath, and had my morning prayer.

And in that quiet moment, I started thinking about fall.

Fall has always been my favorite season. The crisp mornings, the changing leaves, cozy sweaters, pumpkin everything, bonfires, family traditions...and, of course, boot weather. Let’s not pretend that isn't one of the major reasons fall makes the top of my list. 😉

But it wasn't always my favorite.

There was a time in my life when I absolutely dreaded fall.

For years, the change in seasons brought a heaviness with it. The days getting shorter, the colder weather, and the holidays approaching all seemed to hit me at once. I would spend months counting down until spring finally arrived.

Then, years ago, someone gave me a piece of advice that seemed so simple at the time:

Find things that bring you joy during those months. Schedule them. Plan for them. Give yourself something to look forward to.

So I did.

My daughter and I started making crafts. I started making wooden snowmen and selling them. We found little traditions that made those months feel special instead of something I had to survive.

And somewhere along the way, something changed.

I stopped dreading fall.

I started looking forward to it.

That experience has stayed with me because it taught me something I think we all forget sometimes: our perspective isn't permanent.

Sometimes we don't need to change our entire life.

Sometimes we just need to change what we're looking for.

The season didn't change.

I did.

And isn't that funny?

We spend so much of our lives thinking we're waiting for circumstances to get better, when sometimes the biggest shift happens inside of us.

As I sit here today thinking about the upcoming fall, I'm thinking about all the things I get to look forward to with my family. The traditions we'll make, the little moments I'll probably take for granted while they're happening, the cooler mornings, the cozy evenings, and pulling out my favorite boots for the season.

Because yes, I'm absolutely going to find a reason to wear boots.

Probably for several reasons.

Fall fashion just makes life more fun. Give me a good pair of boots, a sweater, jeans, and somewhere to go, and suddenly I'm convinced I have my entire life together. 😂

And maybe that's part of the beauty of growing older.

We learn that happiness doesn't always arrive as some huge life-changing moment.

Sometimes it's coffee in the quiet.

Sometimes it's a morning prayer.

Sometimes it's a family tradition.

Sometimes it's a craft project at the kitchen table.

Sometimes it's putting on a pair of boots you love and walking into a new season feeling a little more confident than you did the year before.

Today, I'm grateful I woke up at 9:59 and somehow still made my meeting.

I'm grateful for the slow morning that followed.

I'm grateful for the quiet moment with my coffee and God.

I'm grateful that I'm able to look at fall now and see possibility instead of heaviness.

And I'm grateful that I get to enjoy these last few weeks of summer before my favorite season makes its grand entrance.

Because seasons change.

Life changes.

We change.

And sometimes, the thing we once dreaded becomes the very thing we can't wait to experience again.

So here's to soaking up the last little bit of summer, looking forward to crisp fall mornings, making memories with the people we love, and, most importantly....breaking out the boots.

Because some seasons are meant to be lived in.

And some are meant to be lived in boots. 🤎👢

To support The Justice Project and the fight against human trafficking go to www.thejusticeproject.net

To purchase Leviticus Fashions boot designs go to www.leviticusfashions.com