Fall (n) autumn; an act of collapsing

Fall (v) move downward freely without control

Fall was bound to come up…especially this time of year!  The new season is upon us with all the colors that accompany the change.  Whether you call it autumn or fall, it is the transitional season we enjoy on our way to winter, full of pumpkin spice, harvest festivals and leaf raking.  Although autumn and fall both originated in Britain, fall seems to be the word of choice in the U.S.  Part of this stems from the desire to use different words once the United States gained independence from British control.  Fall may have originated from the leaves falling.  Its continued popularity may have also come from the practice of daylight savings time – spring forward, fall back.

The other fall is not as spectacular, simply referring to the act of moving downward without control.  Whether it is a trip and fall or a nudge and fall, it typically is not a pleasant experience.  Ironically, just a few moments ago, as I am preparing dinner, I reached for the pink salt in its glass grinder.  Can you guess where this is going?  I didn’t quite have a grip on it and it fell from the second shelf onto the granite counter top – a messy, messy fall with glass slivers and salt crystals scattered everywhere.  

Are there purposeful falls?  If you’ve ever skateboarded, surfed or snowboarded, there is a method to find out how you “ride”.  In other words, which foot you should have forward on the board of choice.  The easiest test to find out?  While standing with both feet next to each other, someone will push you from behind. The foot that moves forward to keep you from falling determines which foot you should default upfront.  Interesting enough, if it’s your left, you ride regular.  If it is your right, you’re goofy.  Any guesses on how I ride?  Yep, goofy – all determined by a intentional fall.  There’s more dramatic falls such as free falling out of an airplane.  No thank you!  I’ll maintain my falls closer to terra firma.

Enjoy the changing colors of fall and keep both feet firmly on the ground!