I have a love/hate relationship with autumn. On one hand, I truly love the crisp bite in the air, the start of the new television season, Sunday afternoon football, the amazing fall colors, the fun of homecoming and Halloween trick-or-treating, followed immediately by a plethora of holiday church bazaars.

On the other hand, I’m not so fond about saying good-bye to summer, the shortening of our daylight hours, or those big hairy spiders that always seem to string their webs right across my path just about face high.

The Autumnal Equinox stops me for just a moment to reflect on another year passing. I know most people do that around January first, but for me, coiling up the hose and putting away my watering can checks another year off the calendar.

If the weather cooperates, I’ll build a campfire in my backyard fire pit tonight. Gazing into the mesmerizing flames, I’ll mark the passage of summer and begin dreaming big dreams about the upcoming season.