Here for Fall, But I’ll Pass on the Pumpkin

My love of Fall started young. Growing up in eastern North Carolina was like growing up anywhere else in the Southeast. While the rest of the country was busting out the sweaters and jackets as early as Labor Day, we still had to endure a few weeks of brutal 90-degree temperatures. That is, until October rolled around. Chilly mornings, festival foods, Halloween, and plenty of football. What’s not to love?

Every Fall my Dad would buy season tickets for in-state North Carolina football games. I remember like yesterday loading up in the car headed to Raleigh on Saturdays and the stomach-flipping anticipation of those drives. Those weekends are still some of my fondest childhood memories.

Now, as an adult, every year when October rolls around and the first leaves start turning, I still get that excitement and anticipation – for holidays to come, for cooler weather, and a renewed focus as you see the end in sight with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner. We may not be able to load up and cheer on our favorite football teams in-person this year, Fall Festivals may be canceled, and yes, my kids will celebrate Halloween pandemic-style. But even still, the season’s sentiment and hope for change are still in the air.

No, I still don’t like Pumpkin Pie or the Pumpkin Spice Latte (the only coffee drink with its own acronym AND hashtag, really?), but there’s a lot to celebrate too. The Champion Firm is growing and despite Covid-19 and all its challenges, we’ve had a strong first three quarters of 2020 with some huge wins for well-deserving clients.
Our kids go back to in-person schooling in Cobb County this month and my daughter Lizzy is ecstatic. In Atlanta, we’re enjoying beautiful Fall weather and we’re starting to see the light at the end of a very long tunnel as a sense of normalcy is returning. I’m here for all of that, but I’ll be passing on the pumpkin.