Seasons

I really love fall. I love the crispness in the air, the vibrant colors in the leaves, the trips to the pumpkin patch, the unspoken promise that fun holiday times are coming. Each fall I am amazed at how much I love fall. Fall is really a kind gift, because we all know that winter is coming, bringing a dramatic change in weather, but for now we can pretend that it will always be so crystal-clear, crisp, and beautiful.

But I really love summer, too. The lazy days, abundance of growing things, smell of suncreen, playing outside at night when it is still warm, hanging out together.

And spring is perenially my favorite. The renewal after the darkness, the smell of rich soil and planting small things which will become big, pastel colors on the trees and bushes, marveling as greenness returns everywhere, the triumph of surviving something difficult.

I even have some fondness for winter. It drives us inside together. The glowing fireplace, warm soups, comfy socks and sweaters, the smell of cinnamon and cloves, the feeling that we are creating a haven of light in a dark and blustery world. And, of course the sacred and family feel of holidays.

I am aware that that there is a lesson here for me. Each season is unique, necessary, and full of gifts. It doesn't do any good to look past this season to the virtues of the next or back at the last season longingly. The joy is in savoring and appreciating the now.