Leaves Falling to Hell

The Autumn Equinox is approaching, and although I was born in the spring, nothing feels more like home than fall, or what my fellow witches call Mabon. As I’ve learned to find comfort in my shadows, it only makes sense that the dark side of my sun sign would be Scorpio: my evil twin, my dark sister. Oh, how I love when she comes out to play.

The light slowly dims as our sunshine gets struck by the veils' opening. The fog pours in, and our days get a little shorter. Greenery shifts to vibrant colors of purple, orange, yellow, and all shades of red. Summer showers transform into misty glooms, and my dark side crawls out from her crypt. Persephone descends to her rightful place as Queen, and her floral crown returns to its shelf. Flowery dresses are replaced with black gowns, and my demons prepare themselves for the main event.

Most mortals clink their glasses for New Year's cheers, but for me, Halloween is the end of the year. The collection of achievements are celebrated, and I prepare to stow away with my skeletons for the winter. The previous year dies slowly under the chill of the snow, and I rule my underworld. You’ll find me cloaked in all black and burning in the fire of my cozy hell.

When the bears are hibernating, I'll be plotting my return in the spring. I’ll be working behind the scenes and barely make an appearance. So, the fall is my farewell before I descend away from the light of day. I cloak myself in all my favorite reds and purples, and I howl to the 2nd round of eclipses. I prance with the children in the costumes and dance around the blaze with my coven. I dress myself in the villain the world made me out to be that year, and I laugh in the faces of anyone who thought the title would consume me.

I let my lover girl kick up her feet and dive into her favorite love stories while the “bitch” comes out to play. The sweet fragrance of velvet petals slips away, and I’ll drench myself in the scent of night jasmine and whispering wind. Summer decor gets buried deep and is consumed with the hackles of musical witches and dark aesthetics.

In September and October, no one questions the plastic spiders scattered across my apartment or the snake earrings hanging from my ears. My pale skin isn't given a side eye, and I can settle into my witchy attire comfortably. I blend in with the world around me, and I feel more comfortable in my skin. Spring thaws away the remnants of my neglected ambitions, oh but autumn… Autumn sets me free.

I release the shackles of who I was fighting to become, and I dive back into what I know. I let go of the fight to be something more, to take on the next big thing, and I indulge in right now. I give in to the hustle and I allow myself to show up as who I already am. I release the burdens of what I have yet to become, and I find peace in the now. The leaves change color, and I fade into the familiar.

Fall is home base, it’s where I go to recharge. Persephone may have been dragged down to hell, but she made it a home. I turned my darkest rooms into retreats, and now they are where I go to kick my feet up. Let the wind roll in with its chill. The fire from my inferno always keeps me warm.