November 24, 2025
(Mockingbird) — As seasons go, November in New England is neither here nor there. Trees strain to hold on to their October colors, but they’re thinning at the crowns. The morning is chilly enough for me to dig out gloves for my youngest, which he’ll likely leave behind on a warm playground this afternoon. His brother already knew to wear an extra layer today — I catch a glimpse of him out the window as he rides off toward the high school — and I think of their sister bundling up, too, in her dorm room hundreds of miles to the west.
Autumn is ripe for mental time travel. Our phones’ photo reels remind us that On This Day, the same jacket was worn by a different kid, and we see both at the same time: their past, present, and future selves folding in on themselves and producing a feeling we can’t quite pin down.
Read Dr. Chen’s full article here.