The splendor of autumn.
Autumn is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year.
I thank God for every delectable moment of it.
Perhaps when you hear of Autumn, it conjures up images of hot apple cider and pumpkin pie. Conceivably, you think of old covered bridges, the Fall Fair, or of a visit to your local pumpkin patch. I think of these things and more, and the memories are just as sweet as the season itself. Maybe you think of pictures like these.
Autumn is a very poignant and bittersweet time. It is representative of full maturity as well as the early stages of decline. There always seems to be a certain urgency, and yet at the same time, it is one of surrender.
I love the truth of Autumn — You cannot hide your true colors as you enter the autumn of your life. There is acceptance of the inevitable ending.
Chuang Tzu said, “We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended upon it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.”
What I Love About Autumn
I love the splendor of the season — the spectacular scenery everywhere. The season bursts with beauty.
I so love the the freshness and fragrances in the crisp, clean, chilly air.
I love, too, the fall foliage — the burnished golden orange leaves interspersed, as they are, with frosted white speckles and splotches of green.
I love how the dancing wind wends its way through maple and oak, through pine and hemlock, cedar and poplar:
calling upon each, without prejudice, to a greater transparency. I just know there’s a great lesson here.
I love how the crunchy carpet of leaves rustle beneath my feet, and the memory of having my daughter Laura jump into a pile of freshly raked leaves.
I really couldn’t help myself. I wrote a poem to celebrate the season of my birth. I hope you enjoy…
Memories of Autumn
Autumn, Brazil 2008
I remember being in Brazil in Autumn of 2008 where we helped out at three orphanages.
At home it was Autumn, but the 10 1/2 hour flight to Sao Paulo transported us into the end of their dry season.
Tropical temperatures provided 100 degree heat every day with no humidity. The splendor of the season, combined with the rugged beauty of the red soil, the verdant mountains made this nature lover’s dream come true.
More than anything it was the warmth of the people that made it very special. What a gorgeous time!
Oh, if God granted wings! George Eliot said,
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.“
But there is another memory of Autumn that I hold dear. We had a pet rabbit for 10 years.
Although she was born May 15 and the tattoo in her ear looked like the name MAVIS, we got her in Autumn, so we named her Autumn May.
This was our pet rabbit, Autumn May.
Have your Say…
So now you know a few of the reasons I love Autumn.
What do you love about Autumn? Is it also your favorite season?
Please share your thoughts here. Thank you very much!
*Photos © 2013 www.WilliamButler.ca
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