Fall: Time to Harvest, Time to Prepare
September 23, 2016 |
| Photo courtesy Micah H. |
Do you feel it? It’s fall. At least according to the calendar (and in the Northern Hemisphere). Many places, central Florida included, still feel like summer, but fall began yesterday, with the fall equinox at 10:21 a.m.
“Equinox,” which comes from Latin, means “equal night.” The
fall equinox is one of the two days a year when day and night are equal—and
some say the earth is in balance.
Besides balance, other concepts connected to the fall
equinox include wholeness, reflection, and pause. Traditionally, it is a time of
harvest, and a time of storing up for the winter.
As you know, fall is my favorite season. A time when I
eagerly wait for the first cold front of the year to bring in drier, cooler
air. While that is still likely a month or more away, the light looks different
already—the way it falls, the shadows it casts. And my horse is growing his winter
coat.
Fall is a lull between summer and the rush of the holiday
season. It’s the perfect time to reflect on how the year has gone so far, and
how we wish it to finish up. The perfect time to evaluate the balance of our
lives, and our inner harvests.
It’s also a time of storing away for the future. We consider
what we can to do prepare for the winter ahead, both literal and figurative. We
tweak our habits and create comforting rituals for when times get tough. While
we’re feeling good is the time to prepare for times we don’t feel so good.
Of course, we can’t stay balanced perfectly all the time, or
we’ll never make progress towards our big dreams. Sometimes one area of life
has to suffer in order for another to leap forward or thrive. For me, this year
has been about building my freelance business and renovating our master
bathroom. Many areas of interest and activity have taken a back seat while I
concentrate on these ongoing projects. Even so, I still seek balance between
doing and being, between giving and receiving, between thinking and feeling,
and between work and play. Striving for the type of balance that feels right
brings wholeness.
So while you’re enjoying the change of season, take some time to reflect on how your life is balanced, what the harvest of 2016 will bring, and what will help you best navigate the coming winter.
What is your favorite thing about fall?
4 comments
Fall is my favorite time of year too. Probably because of cooler weather and the gorgeous colors. And looking forward to colder weather ahead, rather than oppressive heat.
ReplyDeleteCheryl--You may have just put your finger on one reason fall is my favorite. It's the promise of cooler weather! Even though it's not cooler yet, I know it soon will be, rather than knowing that it soon will be hotter. Hope you get to experience the joys of fall soon!
ReplyDeleteKathy, this is nice to think about. Mostly, I focus so much on the changes of color and form of the plant life up here in the North. And I get caught up in the lively energy of cool weather and breezes....and i've been rushing around with a new class, and not remembering to take time to reflect and to figure out a balance...
ReplyDeleteRita--I'm jealous of your changing foliage, cool weather, and breezes! I know it will be cooler here eventually, I just have to be patient. Enjoy your new class and the shifting of a new season.
ReplyDelete