The Rite of Autumn

THE RITE OF AUTUMN

The fall is special for me, because it marks the beginning of an eagerly awaited Holiday Season. No doubt there's a deeper feeling shared by most that another year is beginning to wind down, and the time of quiet reflection is once again upon us. Being from the Mid-Eastern United States, I've always loved the vibrant and rustic colors of autumn foliage that hints at the impending onset of winter.

I remember the overhead canopy of sky was always a brilliant blue, as the first cool breezes of autumn enveloped me in quiet moments of reflection and solitude. "Has this been a good year? Have I lived honorably and nobly? Could I have loved more, hoped more, or accomplished more? How well did my goals reflect my innermost values? Did I spend enough time with my family? Am I nearing my purpose in life? " I would faithfully ask myself such questions. These are the questions that even now resonate through my heart and mind, during what seems to be endless moments of reflection.

It seems though that as time passes, I become more and more in sync with the mystery of autumn. Autumn in a deeper sense is a magnificent ending of but one moment of eternity awaiting the next, and the infinite changes that spring forth and express are both natural and beautiful. We can always count on the passing of time to yield something better than what came before. This seems to be the timeless way of nature.

I looked forward to taking long walks in the woods, where I somehow managed to always find hidden trails that had no memory of human contact. It was there in my solitude that I loved most to pause quietly, watching nature busy itself with the preparation of winter.

I came to cherish and love the melody of the birds, the soothing sounds of a nearby waterfall, and the soft cushion of moist leaves that inspired me to embrace the ancient stillness.

My most memorable times were when I would sit by the lake for hours, watching the reflections that flickered across my mind like evening shadows. A million leaves danced in the wind as they found their way to earth on that last warm October evening in Ohio.

Time stands still for no one, and looking back I'm thankful that I was fortunate enough to grow up in a world in which the seasons marched in time with the Universal Concourse.

Somehow, I know that wherever the journey of life takes me, those warm memories of growing up in Ohio will forever be a part of me; and I will always be in the autumn of my life.