Embracing Autumn

Autumn Grape Harvest

The sun has trekked across the sky as another season dawns.  Each morning I am graced with the sun shining in my bedroom window from a heading due East.  This is always a signal to me that we will celebrate another equinox, a season change from summer to autumn.  Although we have not had a killer frost, some trees are changing colors from green to yellow.  Another true sign that autumn is here.

Year 2015 has flown by so far and I find myself wondering where the time went.  With ample rainfall this year, it was a bit of a challenge to get a garden planted and then weeded.  The sweet corn season is past.  Potatoes are ready to be dug up and stored and the butternut squashes are tasting sweet and delicious.  Carrots have added some great flavor to stews and soups.  Oh, yeah!  Let's not forget the onions that have really enhanced the cooking flavors.

As each new year begins, I step into it with great hope and anticipation of life progress and personal successes.  I can't say that this year produced much evidence of either for me.  It has been a year of service to others, filling in gaps, and nurturing the inner spirit through the love and playfulness of a child.

So as we move now into the season of harvest, perhaps we can all look deep within ourselves to see what we can glean from this year in the way of personal fulfillment or satisfaction.  There are some important things that happened for me this year.  Things that, while significant to me, are of little consequence to anyone else.  

An extensive part of this year was filled with observation, stepping back to listen and just observe everything around me, as well as the people, their actions and reactions.  I learned a lot, saw and heard a lot, was often puzzled and frequently humored.  Often times, I threw out comments within my mind, trying each one on in a particular situation and wondering how those involved in each scenario might act or respond.  I would also wonder if my comments might shift or change the outcome of the conversation or reactions from those involved.  Mostly, I practiced silence, allowing myself to be outside the circle of interaction, listening, asking intuitively for guidance and to shed light and love on those around me.

In this process of harvesting, I will ask you, the reader, to look within yourself to see what prize produce you might glean from this year so far.  What attributes stand out for you this year?  How did you handle relationships, challenges, changes?  How will this harvest season bushel out when it comes to clearing old thought patterns, reconciling mistakes, misjudgments, or missteps?  How will you reward yourself for this year's success?

Break free from your limited belief about the season of Autumn.  Let yourself embrace it fully, step into the process of change and harvest the gems of life as our daily dose of sunlight wanes and you will find yourself sliding smoothly into winter as the year closes out.  More change is on the horizon but we will save those comments for that season, the season of lights.