Every year like clockwork, I look forward to the month of October being upon us. I live for the colored leaves, the pumpkin spice everything, and the late night bonfires. I find that as soon as October ends I am anxiously anticipating December. I live for the days when I sing Christmas music in the car, watch Christmas movie marathons on television, and see the brightly colored Christmas lights adorning the houses on my street. I live for the sled riding, the hot chocolate, and the countless times my dad quotes the movie, “Christmas Vacation.” So what happens to November? Is it truly the middle child during this time of year? I have always kind of treated it like this, and I have found that many people tend to do this too. Each and every year I seem to just skip over it, anxiously awaiting the next exciting month to come. Obviously, I was never able to physically skip over the month of November like I really wanted to, but I did mentally skip over it. I never made an effort to be fully mentally present during it because I wanted it to pass like a distant memory while I kept moving on.

This year is the first year I have vowed not to do this. Toward the end of October, I originally came to a sad realization that November would be quickly approaching and I needed a good way to fill that time. After I did some thinking, I realized how warped my thinking really was. I began to reflect on all of the wonderful things that happen only in November, and I am disappointed that I did not previously think of November as a worthy time to celebrate. Only in November, do we get to enjoy the beautifully colored leaves for a final time before winter? This November, I vow to jump in at least two huge piles of leaves and laugh until I’m in tears. Only in November is there Thanksgiving, a day where we can spend quality time with the people we love and truly remember how blessed we are and how much there is to be thankful for. This November, I vow to be intentional about spending time with my family at Thanksgiving dinner and truly being thankful for all of the blessings in my life. Also, Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite meal of the year, so I vow to enjoy every bite of stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie that only come around once a year. November is a month where NFL football season is in full swing. Coming from a family where watching football is a Sunday tradition, I will always cherish the November Sundays I would sit down with my dad and we would watch the football games together. This November, I vow to make an effort to take a moment to step away from my to-do list and watch a football game with my dad.

Over the years, I have learned the hard way that there really are no “redo” moments in life. There is no rewind button, and each moment is both unique and fleeting. The time that I have “mentally skipped over” is time that I will never get back. November will not be a “skip over” month for me this year. I plan on soaking up every moment. I want to cherish the infinite experiences, moments, smiles, laughs, and blessings that only come around each November.