The In-Between Season
Every year, as November arrives, the leaves carpet the ground with color so beautiful and fleeting that I am forced to stand still. The trees are nearly bare now, yet the vibrant leaves linger at our feet — a final burst of color resting quietly on the ground.
This is the in-between season — not yet the stillness of winter, but the onramp to it. The pause before everything slows. The moment when nature exhales before drawing inward.
A Lesson in Wonder
Today, my not-quite-two-year-old grandson wore his dinosaur rain boots — even though it wasn’t raining — and walked slowly through the leaves, kicking at them just enough to hear their swish and crackle beneath his feet. He was deeply attentive, studying their movement and sound as if learning the language of fall itself.
Later, he pulled a single leaf from his boot and held it up carefully, a small souvenir of this fleeting season.
This evening, as I drove him home to his mom and dad, the nearly full moon rose crisp in the sky. The marvel of one of his favorite toys hanging above us was almost too much. But he knew what it was.
“Moon,” he said, the word rolling in his mouth like a piece of candy.
While so much is dying, there’s also something brand new and magical in this season of poignant color.
The Season Between
In a culture that celebrates productivity and constant motion, it can feel strange to stand still. We’re trained to finish strong, check the boxes, push through. But nature offers another rhythm — one that leads us toward reflection and rest.
This in-between season is our invitation to notice what’s shifting. To sense what’s ready to be released. To begin easing into the slower, more contemplative months ahead — the season of introspection that December brings.
This is what I call The Call to Return — the moment in your own story when life asks you to come home to yourself. It’s not about starting over or reinventing everything. It’s about remembering what’s true beneath all the striving and realigning your energy with what matters most.
The Hero’s Journey, Reimagined
In myth and story, the hero leaves home, faces trials, gathers wisdom, and then returns — transformed and ready to share what they’ve learned. That final stage, the return, is often overlooked, yet it’s the most essential.
We each experience this cycle in our own way. Sometimes “the call” comes through burnout or restlessness; other times it shows up as a quiet knowing that we’ve drifted from our center. The return asks us to stop running long enough to listen — to reclaim our energy, our rhythm, our sense of purpose.
Coming Home to Yourself
Coming home might look like:
Saying no to what drains you, even when it’s uncomfortable
Choosing stillness over speed
Letting go of the version of yourself that was built to please others
Making room for curiosity, creativity, and rest
When we answer this call, life softens. We stop forcing clarity and start living from connection.
Join Me for a Live December Gathering
On Tuesday, December 3, I’ll be hosting a free 50-minute online gathering called
The Call to Return: Beginning Your Hero’s Journey.
It’s part reflection, part conversation — a chance to pause before the year ends and to prepare for the slower, more introspective season ahead.
You’ll leave with:
A simple guided process to clarify what’s calling you home
A short embodiment practice to ground your intentions
Space to reflect on the year behind you and the one ahead
It’s also a preview of my 2026 Prioritize Your Self-Care workshop series, beginning in January with an in-person retreat at The ARC Retreat Center near Cambridge, Minnesota.
Come As You Are
You don’t need to prepare anything — just bring yourself, a notebook, and maybe a cup of tea.
If you’ve been longing to slow down and realign before the new year, this hour is for you.
Reserve Your Spot for the Free Webinar – December 3rd]
May this season invite you back to what’s essential—your breath, your purpose, and the knowing that you can always return home to yourself.
This reflection is part of my ongoing work through Wild Hart and the upcoming 2026 series, Prioritize Your Self-Care — a year-long journey of renewal, authenticity, and presence.