Today, Thursday, 22 September, not only marks the first day of Autumn, but also Hobbit Day!

For the first time in a long while, the weather on this first day of Autumn where I live actually feels like autumnal weather: the rain started falling last night, the breeze was quite cool this morning (indeed all day), and the trees have just begun to change. I look forward to Autumn every year, but this year I’ve been almost longing for it and I’m unsure why.

Perhaps it’s because it’s the start of cozy sweater weather.

Maybe it’s that it’s the beginning of baking season and of cooking foods that usually signal ‘comfort’.

Or it could simply be that this is my favourite time of year and, although this year hasn’t been bad, it’s been strangely long, peppered with a lot of learning.

Whatever the reason, Autumn has arrived and I’m so glad! It’s the start of a new season, full of traditions and rituals old and new.

Speaking of traditions and rituals, as I was looking back at my Upcoming Reads – Summer 2022 list I realised that I haven’t finished a single book on that list. Usually in these Upcoming Reads posts I mention the books I’ve read, the books I’m working on, and the books I’m planning on going back to, but I can’t really do that in this post, and I have a thought about that which is surprising to me:

I’m okay with it.

Now, I like lists, I like knowing what to expect, I like finishing things, but lately I haven’t been able to do much of that because this season of life, whilst good, is busy. I’ve had to remind myself quite frequently lately that people are more important than some reading checklist I came up with at the beginning of the new season. I’ve had to choose to let go of expectations I had, including fun expectations, for myself.

And it’s rather freeing.

So, for this beautiful, wonderful Autumnal season my reading plan is to slow down and enjoy finishing the books I’ve been trying to finish:

• Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson
• The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom, by Andrew Peterson
• The Life Giving Parent: Giving Your Child a Life Worth Living for Christ, by Clay Clarkson and Sally Clarkson
• The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
• Wingfeather Tales: Seven Thrilling Stories from the World of Aerwiar, edited by Andrew Peterson

Who knows? I may decide to ignore this book list, too – and be okay with it.