The Autumnal Shift

It is now November, and I'm scrambling to figure out where the time has gone. Remember recently when I was excited about how August - and therefore Autumn - was right around the corner? Well, that was a little over three months ago already! One minute, I'm looking forward to the gloriousness that is Fall, and the next, I'm staring down the barrel of Winter.

Don't get me wrong, I love Winter. There's a tranquil beauty that comes from the stark white against the landscape; the ability to see far, far into the forest; and the glint of light that shines through icicles that hang like stalactites from the precipices of overhangs. I love bundling up and taking forest walks if the ground isn't sloppy. I love putting on comfy tights, mukluk slippers, and fuzzy sweaters then curling up in a chair with a blanket. Beside me will sit a mug of something warm & comforting (think mulled cider, hot cocoa, or herbal tea), and either a good book or a movie will be cued up.

However, I always mourn the passing of Autumn...it is my favorite season after all. This year has been very busy, so busy in fact that I've missed a few of my never-miss things, one of those being our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. This makes me forlorn a bit, as I feel a trip to the pumpkin patch is a nice bridge between Fall and Winter for me. As I see the leaves falling more rapidly from the trees and hear the breeze howling low through the empty spaces in buildings, I feel a twinge of repose as I reflect on life.

For most people, Spring signals the beginning of the new year, but for me, it's Winter. Why? Well, I see the foliage dying off as a sign of the end, and when the landscape is bare, that just means nature is starting over from the beginning again. As Autumn winds down, and the trees start to become skeletons, the grass is starting to turn shades of brown & gold, and the temperature drops, it signals a rebirth. That first stage, that rebirth, is signaled by the starkness of Winter.

While we're not fully into Winter yet, I can see it lurking in the shadows, waiting to take hold and begin life anew. I reflect then, on what life has been like this past year, and I can certainly say that - while it's had its ups and downs - it's probably been one of the best years of my life so far. Many interesting things have happened, many adventures were had, and opportunity grandly presented itself. Life for me, much like nature, will begin again - fresh and new - and while I miss the year I've had and long for the things that were missed, I look forward to the birth of another year. May she be filled with grander and exciting things.


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