Love of all things Autumn

Autumn. I love the changing colors of the trees’ leaves that beg for new art projects. My least favourite thing about this season is that it doesn’t last long enough, with those brilliant leaves of riotous colors falling and getting crumpled within minutes of their emergence.

Another sight that meets my eyes in schools, stores and supermarkets are the various decorations that come with the season of ghoultide. So many decorations of black, orange and shadowy greys are starting to creep into our surroundings, but I only give them a glance—briefly acknowledging their presence, as such trappings of the season don’t strike a resonant chord for me. Yet, I truly enjoy seeing fields of pumpkins—of all sorts of sizes and shades of orange—as well as the mazes that are set up for the masses. I’m content to view those scenes from a distance and relish the pleasure of NOT being part of the crowds that venture to take part in those dubious pleasures.

I content myself with living in the NOW, and enjoy the autumn days as special gifts, using them to their maximum potential, staying focused on the present for energetic pursuits. I can go for walks any time of the day—no more worries to get the outdoorsy exercise in before the sun starts belching down its wilting rays. Also, there are so many varied garden activities that can be performed: rakings, sweepings, mulchings and hopefully not so much waterings.

It’s not a great thing to admit, but I must confess that I find my disposition bounces around a bit by the weather, but not to any extreme extent. I’m grateful for Autumn for giving me a chance to catch my breath and relax for awhile—and not dwell on what’s coming next. Tapping into my reservoir of resilience, I’m learning to cope with whatever the weather—not wanting my productivity or creativity to be at the beck and call of clouds and sunshine—those unpredictable task masters. I’m learning to count my blessings that I’m not faced with hurricanes and blizzards, for how can I whine and wimp out about this Bay Area Climate when so many on the planet are faced with calamities?