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As the summer months fade into memory, our beloved beachtown begins to transform. Those bustling beach days spent on the water are now traded in for tranquil, scenic walks through the slowchanging color of leaves.
As the trees are preparing for colder days ahead and a crisp breeze blows through, we too encounter a change of pace.
The high-energy, go-go-go mentality fades, replaced by a sense of intention. We find ourselves in a natural, intrinsic transition that urges us to slow down. It’s almost as if the fall season provides the perfect atmosphere to pause – even for just a moment.
During this time of year, we grow more comfortable, more grounded.
We begin to savor the simplicity the season creates.
As Hollanders, we are all too familiar with this shift – we witness it.
Fall in Holland
The city of Holland seems to take on a Gilmore Girls-esque charm during the fall months, where our streets feel warmer, the coffee shops feel quaint, and the pace of life is a bit more at ease.
As you walk down 8th Street, you’ll be met with the aroma of freshly-roasted coffee drifting out the doors from Foxtail and Lemonjellos, taste the pumpkin and apple themed baked goods at Bowerman’s, and boutiques like Clovier and Onalee’s showcasing their autumn styles.
There’s hay bales that sit tucked beside streetlamps, adorned with pumpkins, gourds, and cornstalks. As you continue to stroll, you might find yourself in the neighborhood’s historic district, where leaves fall onto the sidewalks in front of the charming homes and scatter across the brick pavement – all of which makes our small town feel like the set of a 2000s television series.
We’re more apt to linger a few extra minutes over coffee with a friend, take the scenic route through the neighborhoods to look at the changing colors, or curl up indoors under a blanket with a good book.
It feels as if the whole town is leaning into the season’s slower, cozier rhythm.
At this time, most of us will have finally pulled out our flared denim, plaid shackets, knee-high boots, and cozy socks (or let’s be honest, our french terry hoodies and sweatpants) from the depths of our closets and into our daily rotation.
Perhaps fall has a tendency to nudge us to embrace the simplicity of a life lived at a gentle pace.
A Season of Reset
While fall is the obvious change in weather (and the impending doom of a long, dark winter for us Michiganders) it is undeniably a reset.
Once the leaves let go, we too are reminded of the need to release and relax.
For many of us, it’s letting go of that constant hustle and bustle of our schedules. Now, our routines begin to settle and our evenings stretch out with a little extra quiet time. The shorter days are the encouragement we need to take some time to simply breath. (Yes, I know most of us are not ecstatic about less daylight, but let’s think about it in a favorable sense).
It’s the time of year where our dinner tables feel fuller and the weekends seem to have no end. We’re able to cozy up under a cable-knit blanket in our armchair as we read a book or watch our favorite fall show. It’s the time of year where we invite rainy days rather than loathe them.
It’s the time of year when we can sit around the couch for a football game and delve into the goodness of cider and donuts at the same time. It’s the time of year where we can simply sit at a coffee table alongside 8th Street and just watch the leaves scatter across the road or twirl up into a flurry.
Perhaps the coziness and nostalgia of the season is the reason we feel so at home during this time of year. It has a way of reminding us of what really matters – community and connection, the simple joys that often get lost in the rush of everyday life. We don’t have to be formulaic in our interactions, instead we can cherish them.
While fall is a fleeting season, it offers us a reset that lingers far beyond itself. It encourages us to embrace the stillness, to savor comfort, and to carry a sense of intention into the colder months ahead (cause we all know the winter months feel endless, especially once we reach February).
As Hollanders, we truly cherish the autumn season in our small, quaint beachtown.
(Or, some of ya’ll will get bored quickly and are already looking forward to sunny, scorchingly hot beach days).
Sierra Ozolins is a West Michigan native, currently a student at Hope College. As an athlete, she is passionate about fitness—from running to weightlifting. With a interest for politics and lifestyle, she is intrigued how local culture, community, and everyday events shape the world around her—often with an iced coffee in hand and her dog by her side.
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