Autumn Equinox today — equal hours of daylight and darkness. Balance in nature. We are in a turning point of seasons, late summer into autumn.

What images come to mind when you think of autumn? Green leaves turning to golden yellow, burnt orange, vivid red. Excitement in the air as you move with the crowd, winding your way to the Saturday afternoon college football game. Walking on a cool, crisp evening by the lake in a light windbreaker jacket.

A season of visible change — hours of daylight are decreasing. Thoughts drift to the fact that winter is not far away. For children, and in triggered memory for adults, it’s a new school year. Vacations are over. We are back to school, back to work.

Try experiencing autumn anew this year, in a very mindful way. Engage your senses. Notice the yellows, reds and oranges on the tree leaves. Watch the precision of the flying long-necked geese, in their perfect V-formation, honking loudly along the way. Stop to glance at the children in the school playground, running, laughing, playing with their friends. Note the cloudy days when the raindrops turn into little ice crystals. And note the first evening when goosebumps pop up on your forearms. That extra soft blanket feels so good for sleeping. It is so obvious now that the shadows of the trees lengthen. We see more shadows everywhere.

Hear the humming of harvesting machines in the fields along the country roads. Farmers are picking the field corn and harvesting soybeans in their combines. Locusts buzz loudly — no missing their presence in the city and farms alike.

Bite into a honey crisp or golden delicious apple, with a crunch on each bite. How good is the seasonal squash, accented with brown sugar and a touch of better. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

The crisp, cool air of the season is so invigorating. It is a great time to take deep breaths, fill your lungs with refreshing, clean air. You feel alive. You are in the moment, enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of autumn.

Use all your senses and enjoy!

(Updated from an article I previously wrote, with great input from my mother, reflecting on what she liked about autumn.)