Aaaah, Fall

Long sigh...... I don't know about you, but for me the change of seasons always evokes a multitude of feelings, and memories. Oh the memories! Even though this evocation gets stronger as I get older, I always find myself reminiscing about past seasons whenever a new one begins.

I know, Autumn doesn't officially begin for another couple of days, but don't tell my senses that. All of my senses, every fiber of my being it seems, are aware of the myriad signs that a new season is upon us (many so subtle they would be difficult to articulate). Some changes, however, are like trumpet fanfares; impossible to miss. Depending on where you live, you are treated to the sight of the leaves turning vibrant colors, flocks of geese or ducks heading south in their v-shaped formations, or the change in the very smell of the air, and of course the temperature. Other changes are more gradual, like the quality of the daylight as the sun's arc across the sky changes its path, and the local wildlife gradually start to exhibit different patterns of behavior and/or their fur begins to take on a different color.

Then there are those man-made changes; sometimes practical, sometimes laughable, always arbitrary. The sweaters and long-sleeved shirts come out, and the shorts and summer dresses are put away once again. Perhaps the surest sign that Fall is here can be found in your local variety store (K-Mart, Target, Walmart, etc.): Christmas decorations and wrapping paper are now prominently displayed, right next to the Halloween candy and costumes. Oh, and cutouts of Thanksgiving turkeys and pilgrims are there, too. Who can blame you if you feel like your life is rushing by you?

Here in Southern California, the changes of seasons are generally not as dramatic as those in the New England of my childhood. Nonetheless, they still profoundly impress upon me the continuing flow of life. Nostalgia wells up and washes over me in a flood of memories that sometimes threatens to overwhelm me. At the same time I find myself rejoicing in the beauty and inspiration of nature, in all of her ever-changing glory!

So, how does the change of seasons affect you? I would really like to know. If you have the time, please share with me, and all who read this blog, your thoughts about this almost ritual marking of the passage of life.