Texas is a seasonless place. Life here is lived in a constant tropical sun. It puts you in a constant state of seasonal disorientation.

I’m not complaining merely stating fact. I live here by choice.

The lack of the brilliant bursts of color on the trees to signal fall has arrived means using other clues for the shift from summer to fall.

Here in Texas the back-to-school sensation of September is what marks fall’s beginning.

The temperatures aren’t going to change until maybe December. It’s the excitement of back-to-school sales and the sound of the yellow school buses in the morning that mean the season is changing.

As a kid, I loved going back to school. Seeing friends, getting new school clothes and shoes. Fresh new notebooks with all those empty pages waiting to be filled and sparkly new pencils waiting to be sharpened. It was an exciting time for me.

Now, flipping the calendar to September still brings that anticipation of new adventures. It’s a turning point, not only signaling the arrival of fall but also new beginnings.

A New Year means making resolutions. September is a time to assess progress. Where are we? How much further do we want to go?

Summer with its freedom from routine and laziness is over. Fall is the time to harness the momentum of back-to-school excitement and make a positive push forward.

Do you get that “back-to-school” sensation in September?