In general, I would say that I’m someone who doesn’t mind getting comfortable and not having things changed to dramatically. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a time when I felt like change was valuable, either in my career or in my personal life.

Ironically, though, I actually very much enjoy the changing of the seasons in any given year.

I hear people talk about how they would love to live in Florida or Hawaii or California or some other place that has consistently pleasant weather all year round. While that would have its benefits, to me that actually seems kind of boring.

Sure, having four seasons in Utah has its challenges. You get the white-knuckle driving conditions of a January blizzard or the crazy winds that blow everything around in April or the blazing hot 100-degree days like we’ve had this summer and the unpredictability that comes with fall.

But I really do love all the benefits that come with the changing seasons.

I love how clean and fresh everything looks after a snowfall and the adventures that come with winter sports, getting out in that crisp air and savoring the sensation of warming up after being out in the cold.

It’s amazing to watch the flowers in bloom in spring and see the trees blossoming out as you see the vibrancy of life everywhere.

Those hot summer days make paddling on water or swimming at the pool are delightfully refreshing, as are the pleasant, relaxing nights as the sun slips slowly behind the mountains.

And then there’s fall.

Fall doesn’t officially begin until the autumnal equinox in late September, but to me August has always been when I start feeling fall vibes.

Much of that can be attributed to my more than two decades of covering sports, because August is when football really gets underway. And for many American sports fans, football is the epitome of fall.

If you’re a football fan, you probably already know that our local high school teams will kick off the season this upcoming week. The Daily Herald sports team worked hard to get you ready for 2026 season with our annual high school football preview, which is in today’s paper. Be sure to check it out.

But even if you don’t have in your family a participant on your local high school football team, I still think that an evening at the stadium is a great community activity.

Not only do you support the athletes and cheerleaders and marching band and color guard and dance troops, but you support their families as well. You often run into neighbors and friends in the stands or in line at the concessions booth.

I know we live in an era where its all too common for players transfer between schools and shop around for what they hope will be the best fit, sacrificing the friendships and camaraderie that comes from competing with friends you’ve grown up. I suppose the dreams of the big paydays and dollar signs make that inevitable in some ways.

But it also is tragic, both for the teenagers and for our communities. I’ve seen far too many miss out on experiences they’ll never get back. Those towns and schools that manage to create that community atmosphere or something to be truly valued.

The other sign of the changing seasons that I really love is when we start getting fresh produce From our farms and gardens.

I wouldn’t call myself a gardener, but I do love the taste when you get a ripe tomato off your own vine or enjoy a freshly picked green pepper or jalapeño.

I know that it’s been a tough growing season for many, particularly those who grow fruit that was killed by the late frost in April, but I do look forward to seeing what will be available and enjoying that extra bit of deliciousness that comes from locally grown produce.

Mouthwatering fresh produce from the harvest and the cheers and excitement of the football, plus still having warm days for some fun end-of-summer activities are certainly reasons to enjoy August.

Other changes are coming, including the start of school (which is probably both a good and bad change, depending on the perspective) and before long the leaves will start changing colors as well, making swaths of yellows, oranges and reds in our cities and up in the mountains.

August may still be too hot right now and certainly far too smoky, but changes are coming.

And I’m looking forward to seeing them.

Jared Lloyd is the managing editor of the Daily Herald and can be reached at jlloyd@heraldextra.com.