Changing seasons and thinking of North Carolina

This is the time of year in southwest Florida when we eagerly await any sign whatsoever of a change in seasons.  Although temperatures are dropping and leaves are turning in other parts of the country, we are still basking in the summer sun.  Instead of picking up beautiful leaves for arrangements, we are happily picking up shells on the beach.  But long for a peek at fall.

This is when I always think of North Carolina.  My first two years of college were spent at Louisburg College near Raleigh.  Fall was beautiful with cool breezes, football games, homecoming, friends and the excitement of the beginning of another college year.  I remember walking to classes and just taking in “fall.”  I felt such a sense of place those fall seasons in North Carolina and it has stayed with me all these years.

Some time ago, my college roommate (and best friend) and I took a short trip to Louisburg from her home in Cary.  It was fall and beautiful.  Much had changed on the campus but we were able to find some landmarks that were still the same and full of memories.  We had a very gracious student take our picture in front of the college sign, the same sign where my parents took my picture on my first day of college.  I felt a brief pang of envy.  The student was just beginning his college term.

When we left, we were both misty-eyed.  Fall was still and always will bring back those days at Louisburg College.  We still felt a sense of place. We were almost able to go home.

So each fall when I set out to do some fall de-cluttering, reorganizing, rotating accessories and figuring out where I can put a pumpkin to keep it from baking inthe sun, my thoughts always go back to Louisburg.  And I want to pack my bags and head for North Carolina to find fall and all of those memories.

Happy fall wherever you live.