In Delaware’s autumn, I remember Dhaka’s winter

It is that time of year again when everything, trees and humans alike, is slowing down to embrace a pleasant change in nature. It is fall in the air!

You feel fall in the air first, then see it in the changing colours of the leaves. They call it the second spring because it is when nature blazes in crimson, amber, auburn, and butterscotch before slipping into the whites, browns, and greys of winter. It is nature’s grand finale before it becomes quiet and aloof, with very little activity taking place. Humans and animals alike seek refuge from the approaching cold, retreating indoors and preparing for the long winter that is ahead.

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I know it is fall because its presence is right there in the air; I can ‘feel’ it. The nights get cooler and the days shorter, two signs that tell us that fall is knocking on the door. In fall, the sun radiates a soft warmth and a golden glow; afternoons suddenly become works of art, done in a rich palette. During the day, if you stand under the sun, it feels almost hot, but the moment the sun hides behind the clouds, you feel cold enough to reach for a sweater.

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I lived the first two-and-a-half decades of my life in Bangladesh. The fall weather here in Delaware reminds me of the winter days in Dhaka. The soft sunshine and the crisp air of a September afternoon transport me to a December morning in Dhaka, lost somewhere in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s. In fall, all I have to do is lie down and close my eyes to travel back in time.

I anticipate the arrival of the season every year; it is the time when I can relive a brief yet pleasant period of my long-lost childhood. It is an invitation to revisit the carefree childhood that I have left behind and cannot physically return to, but re-experience through its clear skies, cool breeze, and pale gold sunshine.

I know it is autumn when I am reaching for a sweater, closed-toed shoes, and, oftentimes, a scarf before stepping outdoors. I know the season is here when cafés and restaurants begin displaying their varied menus — pumpkin spice latte, cinnamon chai, toasted marshmallow hot chocolate, autumn chicken salad, butternut squash soup, pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake, warm apple cobbler, and more.

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During this period, fresh produce like apples, cranberries, figs, pumpkins, and squashes, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, make their way into American kitchens. You walk into a grocery store, restaurant, or a café and you instantly smell fall in the air. The scent is not only present in seasonal foods and drinks, but also in candles, room sprays, hand soaps, and fragrance mists.

Indoors, it smells like warm spices, apples, and pumpkins. The outdoors has a completely different scent; it is the scent of leaves turning red, orange, and yellow, and then falling to the ground to decay. If you live close to nature, you can smell the crisp and sharp scent of autumn every time you step outdoors; it is everywhere.

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The season descends on the fashion world, too. Women put aside whites and pastels to pick up earthy tones. Linen shirts and light, airy dresses give way to chocolate brown, plum, camel, and olive-green sweaters, dark-washed jeans, ankle boots, and loafers. I witness its arrival in women’s clothing, their shoes, handbags, and jewellery.

I do not complain about this transition of the seasons; instead, it reminds me of my own life, and of human life in general, where change is the only constant. The transition into fall reminds me of the fleeting nature of life, where nothing is fixed or permanent.

So, enjoy life’s little moments and simple pleasures as long as you are here. Similar to seasons, the tree of life also transitions from one season into another; it weathers grief and loss, sheds leaves, but only to grow stronger with time. Fall is the time to slow down a little, reflect on life, acknowledge mistakes, and work on becoming better versions of ourselves — all while the outside world is blazing up in amber, auburn, crimson, and coral.

Photo: Courtesy