December 03, 2024
Fall has finally arrived in DC. False starts of chilly mornings that turn into 70-degree afternoons are over, and the season has settled in for the duration.
I’m typically a warm-weather person, I’ve done my time in the snow and cold. But this time of year brings two things that I like: pockets and new views. Pockets mean more places to put keys, glasses, a phone, and sometimes snacks. The greater pleasure of this time of year is the Washington DC that the fallen leaves reveal.
When everything is in bloom, there are few cities lovelier than DC - cherry blossoms, tulips, and Rock Creek Park in all of its glory. Less heralded is what we see when the foliage fades, and the trees stop showing off. Buildings and views obscured by the distractions of the beauty of spring and summer are revealed.
I try to look up when I walk from Adams Morgan to GW every morning. I keep my phone in my pocket (next to a snack) and see what the changing light of fall has to show me. I try to see something new every morning. Maybe a parapet I hadn’t noticed, some interesting stonework, or a Christmas tree in an apartment window. It doesn’t always work. I get distracted by the buzz of my phone or am hustling to make a meeting on time, but at my best, I try to see again what the place I’ve lived for almost 30 years has to show me for the first time.
Next time you’re walking around campus, running an errand, or are off to meet someone, put your phone in your pocket and look up. You might be surprised by what you see.