Giving grace this autumn: As days grow shorter, let’s make our kindness brighter

Autumn has always been a season of reflection for me. Maybe it’s the shorter days, cooler temperatures or the way trees put on one last colorful show before everything turns brown and goes dormant. It’s also a reminder that another year is winding down faster than we might like.

I love fall. I love the crisp mornings, the smell of leaves, Friday night lights and the excuse to make a big pot of soup. But this time of year can leave some of us feeling a little blue.

The days get shorter, the nights get longer and we’re doing chores, leaving for work and coming home in the dark. For those of us who work outside or live by the seasons, there’s a natural rhythm to fall.

Harvest wraps up, gardens fade away and the landscape settles in for a winter nap. There’s beauty in it, but a little melancholy, too.

And it isn’t just the weather or changing seasons that weigh on us. People carry things we know nothing about.

Someone may be worried about a farm loan, a family member’s health, a struggling business or a relationship on shaky ground. Someone else may be missing a loved one who won’t be around this holiday season.

And some people may not even know why they feel a little off. They just do. Uncle Melvin Sorrells calls it “the purple drowsies.”

It’s worth remembering that the next time someone seems short-tempered, quiet, distracted or not quite like themselves.

We are often quick to judge. We decide someone is being difficult, unfriendly or grumpy without stopping to consider what might be happening in their world. We expect people to show up with a smile, get the job done and keep moving.

But maybe what they need isn’t a lecture, a judgment or somebody telling them to snap out of it. Maybe they just need a little understanding.

Giving someone grace doesn’t mean excusing bad behavior or agreeing with everyone. It means remembering we’re all human.

We have good days and bad days, get tired and overwhelmed and sometimes say things we wish we could take back.

As we head into the holiday season, when expectations run high and schedules get crowded, I am going to try to be a little kinder. I hope you will, too.

Check on a neighbor, call a friend, offer a helping hand or take a breath before responding when someone rubs you the wrong way.

We can’t make the days longer or stop the seasons from changing, but we can make life a little brighter for the people around us.

Fall reminds us that change is part of life. Trees let go of their leaves, fields settle in for winter and nature takes a rest before beginning again. Maybe we could learn something from that.

Not every day has to be productive, and not every person has to be cheerful. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is give ourselves and each other a little grace.