As I opened up the shades this morning, I was greeted by a kaleidoscope of colors… leaves falling to the ground forming a colorful carpet on the green grass…grass,  preparing to go dormant for the winter. 

I love autumn!  In fact, it’s my favorite season.  I love the sight and sound of geese migrating, the sweet smell of the cool autumn air, watching squirrels hide their nuts and hearing the laughter of children as they tumble in the leaves.   Autumn, the season when God prepares a festival of colors just before He puts His earth to sleep for a long winter’s nap.  Autumn is beautiful; even though everything begins to turn brown and the trees that once held an abundance of leaves, start displaying empty branches.  There’s hardly a memory of the colorful leaves they once held.  But yet, the trees seem to know that in a matter of months, they will welcome new life.

As I pause to take in the wonders of nature, I am reminded of how similar our lives are to the seasons.  Conception and birth up to adolescence is the springtime of our life…spring, everything blossoms and comes to life.  It’s just like birthing a child and watching him/her grow and blossom as new skills are learned and developed. 

Young adulthood is like summer.  Summer, when we see the full beauty of nature…flowers at their peak and fruits are the sweetest.  The summer of one’s life is at the highest point…achieving and making a mark.

Middle age is autumn…time to harvest and yes, time to let go.  Autumn shows us the beauty of letting go.  Trees don’t hold on to their leaves.  It is as though they realize the beauty of releasing the old and preparing for the new.  A crisp breeze blows and the leaves tumble gently to the ground.

Autumn, so amazing!  We enjoy the cozy autumn days and the crisp fall nights as we prepare to welcome in winter.  And as we prepare, we harvest the memories of our spring and summer years. 

Remembering where we have been, and wondering what’s next in our lives can bring about concerns… concern about losing our sense of identity now that the children are gone and retirement is looming ahead… feeling as though we have placed everyone’s well-being ahead of our own, and we look to reconnect and find a sense of purpose. 

Once we enter our autumn years, some may say, “It’s a wrap.”  I say, “We’ve only just begun.” Yes, there comes a time in our lives when we must “wrap” things up, but we must also prepare for our winter years.  Even as we prepare, we must remember that each season offers a chance to be productive.  It is never too late to enjoy life regardless of the season you’re in.  There is a season for everything and we must change with each season of life. 

We’ve made it through spring and summer and adapted to the changes required by each.  And likewise, we’ll change, adjust and enjoy autumn.  We’ll enjoy sweatshirt weather, the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon spices and hearing the crunch of leaves under our feet.  And yes, we’ll adjust to the empty house and enjoy retirement as we prepare to welcome the next season…winter or the season some call old age…the age of wisdom!

The house is empty; now is the perfect time to spice up your marriage!  It's never too late to reconnect and reclaim that same spark, excitement, and creativity you experienced before you had kids.  26% of Empty Nesters say they will feel like newlyweds when their kids are gone and even more (34%) say they will feel closer to their spouse without the children around. Those statistics aren't too shabby, but let's see if we can raise them a little higher and add some spice to our marriages!

Here are 3 ways to keep your marriage fresh and exciting:  

1. Learn Together.  Find something new to enjoy together.  It's good to have fresh and new experiences you can both talk & laugh about.  Whether it's dancing, painting, or cooking classes, have fun learning something new together.  
2. Get Active.  Who says exercise has to be a solo gig?  There's something special about exercising together.  Get your heart rates up and get your bodies moving.  Maybe you can find a new trail to hike together to take in some new scenery, get your heart rates up, and breathe in fresh air.  Not only will you be invigorated by taking in a new experience, but the endorphins from a good workout will enhance it.  My husband and I really enjoy doing Country Heat workouts together--it's new, fun, and good for our bodies.  
3. Take Turns.  Planning date nights doesn't need to be a solo mission either.  Take turns planning your date night experiences. You won't just share the responsibility of researching, planning and organizing the evening, you may also find yourselves in a fun competition trying plan the most creative and fun outings.

If you're looking for more ideas on how to keep your marriage fresh & exciting, I recommend checking out 10 Great Dates for Empty Nesters.  This book offers ten innovative, fun dates guaranteed to spice up your marriage.  The dates are specially crafted for empty-nesters, these dates are based on marriage-enriching themes, such as • Becoming a couple again • Rediscovering intimate talk • Revitalizing your love life • Growing together spiritually • Relating to adult children • Becoming best friends.