Here in the north, autumn is way too short. But Beautiful! Our colors have turned from green to orange and bright yellow. All the aspen trees are twinkling their yellow leaves along the roads and forests. Pumpkins and squash are piled up for fall purchases, and the last of the fall sunflowers are offering their pollen to the tired bumble bees.
The fresh cold air portends winter, but we still have a little time for country walks and outside playtimes with our dogs. We are planning to give candy away at Halloween. The joyful children sing and laugh with their bags open. Of course, they will all gather way too much candy for healthy living. And many of them may eat too many sweets. But most of us shrug off the indulgence, and presume that the fun is more important than the sugar high that follows.
Covid has taught all of us the importance of pleasure, fun, joyfulness and good friends. Community, too, is so important when life throws us a curved ball. Then it is time to rethink what is most important in life, and how we can best find it. The importance of seasons and the turning of the world as the year changes is often lost in the flurry of advertising that barrages us every day.
Already we are seeing ads for early “Black Friday” sales. What is that, really? Black Friday is a sales gimmick, so early Black Friday is a double sales gimmick. Why are we asked to focus on Christmas, when we can still enjoy autumn’s beauty, Halloween, and our Thanksgiving celebration with family and loved ones? There will be plenty of time later to buy things.
So go away from this computer and enjoy the fall air and the colored leaves and squash and apples. Find your rhythm and set it to the seasons and not to the marketers. Have coffee with your friends instead, hug your children and loved ones, read a good book in the quiet of the evening, and breathe the autumn air.
