Anyone who has followed my articles and/or social media knows that I love autumn. The temperature drops, the leaves begin to turn, the smell of the air changes, the trees release leaves preparation for winter’s sleep, and my creative endeavors are driven by luminous inspiration. I have been this way as long as I can remember. When I was 9, I remember saying to my grandmother, “Ain’t I so lucky that my birthday is at my favorite time of year?” “Aren’t I so blessed?” she replied. She was always one for speaking with proper grammar.
When I was younger, I loved autumn for all the beautiful colors, the cozy nights in watching my favorite shows, and the rain that often came with the change of season. Now that I’m older I still enjoy those things, but I also appreciate the reflection that comes with autumn. I begin to think towards the new year ahead and reflect on what I’ve accomplished so far. The slower mornings and shorter evenings also give me more time for reflection and in keeping with the season, letting go of things that no longer serve me.
"Autumn is the eternal corrective."
"Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons."
"Autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature."
--Jim Bishop
Release and renewal are constant companions in nature. We see evidence of this powerful duo all throughout the plant and animal kingdom. Ecclesiastes 3:1 from the Bible says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”: In my opinion, autumn is given specifically to encourage reflection, release and renewal. I for one am thankful for the opportunity to let go of things that no longer serve me so that I can make room for new opportunities, blessings, relationships and experiences.
In closing, here are a few ideas to help you engage the autumn season and take advantage of this opportunity to reflect, release and renew in your own life: Get up thirty minutes earlier to journal and to pray, take walks in nature and soak up all the smells and vibrant colors while making a mental list of all the things you are thankful for, listen to a podcast on the topics above, review your list of goals for the year, and use the remaining time you have left to mark some of them off your list.
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“Love is a journey not a destination.”
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