In thinking about what I might write for this edition of Dose of Gratitude, it came to me easily this time!  Fall is my favorite season, and wow does it bring opportunities to practice gratitude. 

Have you ever had a moment in nature so quiet, so vivid, that it made everything else fade away?

I found one at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park one beautiful fall weekend. The water was impossibly still, the air crisp with early autumn, and my lunch was unforgettable. I had the infamous Maine popovers, warm and golden, paired with blueberry jam that tasted like those berries were freshly picked just for me.  Alongside them came the casserole of the day: a comforting chicken and rice dish that felt like a hug in a bowl. I ate slowly, savoring not just the food, but the silence, the view, the feeling of being completely present.

Later that day in Bar Harbor, I wandered into the gardens at the Bar Harbor Inn and stopped in my tracks. The hydrangeas were the largest I’d ever seen—lush, towering, and drenched in color. Hydrangeas are my favorite flower!   I stood there, awestruck. It was one of those micro-moments that sneaks up on you and stays.

And then there was Alaska. Riding the Skagway railway through ancient mountains and watching glaciers from my balcony in Tracy Arm Fjord. The scale of it all made me feel small in the best way—like I was part of something vast and beautiful. I still remember the sheer silence in the air surrounding the glaciers. It is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.These moments reminded me that nature doesn’t just offer scenery, and that it offers perspective. It invites us to slow down, to notice, and to feel grateful for the simple fact of being alive. Whether it’s a flower, a mountain, or a quiet pond, nature has a way of saying: Look. This is yours to appreciate.

Research supports this connection. A 2012 study published in Psychological Science found that experiencing awe in nature—such as witnessing vast landscapes or stunning natural phenomena—can expand our sense of time and increase feelings of gratitude, patience, and life satisfaction.

As fall approaches and the world begins to glow with golden leaves and crisp air, it’s the perfect time to step outside and let nature work its quiet magic. Whether it’s a walk through a local park, a weekend hike in the woods, or simply sitting under a tree with a warm drink, these moments in nature can awaken a deep sense of gratitude and calm. So let the season invite you to go chase the sunset, listen to the rustle of leaves, or breathe in the earthy scent of fall. The more we immerse ourselves in nature’s beauty, the more we remember what it means to feel connected, thankful, and alive.

In a world that often pulls us in a hundred directions, nature gently calls us back to ourselves. And in that return, we find gratitude. Not because everything is perfect, but because we’re present enough to see what’s already beautiful.   Are you ready to find the beauty – and some gratitude along the way?!?

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” — Aristotle