The Autumn Introspection Post
It's coming on Autumn here in the south. Though the leaves have not yet begun to change or the trees began to shed, I still know that Autumn approaches. Day by day the temperature outside gets cooler and cooler letting me know that soon the leaves will be scattered about my porch again. Time to put away the shorts and tank tops and move into wearing long pants and longer sleeved shirts again, and it makes me feel a bit sad. The sky around here has been overcast and gray for several days now; the sun barely peeking through in spurts. Right now the sky is a beautiful mix of oranges and purples because of the way the sun is hiding behind the heavy clouds; I guess it really is approaching winter, finally.
Now, I know that those of you who live further north are thinking, "So what? This happens every year at about this time." Yes, I know that it is technically Fall, but when you live in The South and are used to getting Indian Summer until basically mid-October, it feels like it's too soon for it to be getting cold. This is the area of the country that I like to think of as the land of eternal Indian Summer (though I know I'm not the first to use those words). Around here, we're totally accustomed to having 80-90 degree days well into October, so the fact that it's been 70 or below for the past three days is rather shocking.
I was thinking about it today and I realized that it seems like I haven't had a summer at all yet because it's already getting colder. Then I realized, like 12 seconds later, that yes, we have already had a summer. A very hot one! I might add. It just seems so short now because it's almost over already.
When Autumn begins every year, it always puts me into a deep introspection mode. I get to thinking about what the year has held for me and what I've accomplished thus far. I think back on who I've met and what I've learned and I try to absorb it all again as I watch the leaves blow gently around on the tree. I watch the leaves and know that soon they will be on the ground dead, but for now they are still green and alive. I guess I feel akin to the leaves when Autumn begins. As the weather gets colder and finally becomes winter and as the leaves die and fall off the tree, a part of me relates to them. They are alive at the beginning of Autumn but just as they must die and renew after the cold, so parts of me also seem to die in the Winter only to be reborn and replaced with something new when growth begins again. The sun eventually comes again and brings with it new life: the irises (my all-time favorite flower) spring forth from beneath the cold, sometimes snow-covered March ground bringing life and beauty back to the world when all seemed nearly lost.
Being in balance in a life, in a body also means being in balance with nature and the earth. And just as my life is balanced in most every other way, so my body and my spirit are in balance with the seasons: as the seasons change, so do my emotions and reactions.
Autumn is the time of year to begin to settle down and store up for a possibly long, cold and lonely winter. It's still a hopeful time even though, it knows that short days, long nights, and bitter cold are ahead. It's the time of year that teaches us to appreciate what we have and where we are, because we know that the road ahead is going to be bumpy and harsh. Those of you who read regularly, watch for more very introspective posts from this end in the days ahead.
These are the days that I would like most, if I didn't know that they were about to be followed by the days I like least (the cold, snowy ones). I like them because they aren't too hot that all you can fathom doing is swimming, and yet not cold enough to need to put on socks yet. I don't have to run my air conditioner anymore--which I hate doing (because it makes me cold quick, and I hate to be cold)--but I can still leave my back door open so that I can hear the little noises that the outside world makes. The still noises that the world makes when nobody seems to be listening: of small animals moving through the hedges, of trees rustling slightly in the breeze, of cars going by on the street off in the distance. There are no kids playing in the yard anymore because it's nearing dark and school will start soon so they need to start adjusting to "school bed time" and it's almost dinner time and because the chill in the air has their parents warning them about sweaters and coats--and kids hate that.
The quiet hour of the day, or possibly even of the whole year, always seems to be the hour just before sundown in early Autumn. It's the hour that almost begs people to whisper softly instead of talk; it's the hour that wants me to turn off the music and just listen: listen to the quiet of the world as it breathes a sigh of relief that summer is coming to a close.
Now, I know that those of you who live further north are thinking, "So what? This happens every year at about this time." Yes, I know that it is technically Fall, but when you live in The South and are used to getting Indian Summer until basically mid-October, it feels like it's too soon for it to be getting cold. This is the area of the country that I like to think of as the land of eternal Indian Summer (though I know I'm not the first to use those words). Around here, we're totally accustomed to having 80-90 degree days well into October, so the fact that it's been 70 or below for the past three days is rather shocking.
I was thinking about it today and I realized that it seems like I haven't had a summer at all yet because it's already getting colder. Then I realized, like 12 seconds later, that yes, we have already had a summer. A very hot one! I might add. It just seems so short now because it's almost over already.
When Autumn begins every year, it always puts me into a deep introspection mode. I get to thinking about what the year has held for me and what I've accomplished thus far. I think back on who I've met and what I've learned and I try to absorb it all again as I watch the leaves blow gently around on the tree. I watch the leaves and know that soon they will be on the ground dead, but for now they are still green and alive. I guess I feel akin to the leaves when Autumn begins. As the weather gets colder and finally becomes winter and as the leaves die and fall off the tree, a part of me relates to them. They are alive at the beginning of Autumn but just as they must die and renew after the cold, so parts of me also seem to die in the Winter only to be reborn and replaced with something new when growth begins again. The sun eventually comes again and brings with it new life: the irises (my all-time favorite flower) spring forth from beneath the cold, sometimes snow-covered March ground bringing life and beauty back to the world when all seemed nearly lost.
Being in balance in a life, in a body also means being in balance with nature and the earth. And just as my life is balanced in most every other way, so my body and my spirit are in balance with the seasons: as the seasons change, so do my emotions and reactions.
Autumn is the time of year to begin to settle down and store up for a possibly long, cold and lonely winter. It's still a hopeful time even though, it knows that short days, long nights, and bitter cold are ahead. It's the time of year that teaches us to appreciate what we have and where we are, because we know that the road ahead is going to be bumpy and harsh. Those of you who read regularly, watch for more very introspective posts from this end in the days ahead.
These are the days that I would like most, if I didn't know that they were about to be followed by the days I like least (the cold, snowy ones). I like them because they aren't too hot that all you can fathom doing is swimming, and yet not cold enough to need to put on socks yet. I don't have to run my air conditioner anymore--which I hate doing (because it makes me cold quick, and I hate to be cold)--but I can still leave my back door open so that I can hear the little noises that the outside world makes. The still noises that the world makes when nobody seems to be listening: of small animals moving through the hedges, of trees rustling slightly in the breeze, of cars going by on the street off in the distance. There are no kids playing in the yard anymore because it's nearing dark and school will start soon so they need to start adjusting to "school bed time" and it's almost dinner time and because the chill in the air has their parents warning them about sweaters and coats--and kids hate that.
The quiet hour of the day, or possibly even of the whole year, always seems to be the hour just before sundown in early Autumn. It's the hour that almost begs people to whisper softly instead of talk; it's the hour that wants me to turn off the music and just listen: listen to the quiet of the world as it breathes a sigh of relief that summer is coming to a close.
posted by AeroAangel at 16:17
2 Comments:
*whispers* Yes, m'love. Just be...
cooper: thank you for sharing your thoughts on autumn...and i'm glad, in a way, that my words hold you hostage because as i've said before, my soul is much older than my age.
sys: thanks.
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