My Autumn

Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, the inevitable lead-in to a dreaded, cold winter and the official end to the lazy, hazy days of summer.  Though it feels like summer really ended with Labor Day weekend, it's definitely been hanging around weather-wise, anyway.  Last year I had written a post called A Time For Dying, and though that piece was written for real loss, it also called into account the significance of the season.  Here's some of what I wrote...

Fall is a beautiful time of year, colorful leaves, a refreshing burst of brisk, fresh air, and Halloween.  Autumn is also a sad time, too.  It is the season when the flowers no longer bloom, the trees lose their leaves, and the cool air quickly turns to cold as a stark reminder of what's to come.  

The cycle of the year correlates so well with the cycle of life,  People are born into this world, into a conscious awakening, to live, to grow, and to learn.  The spring and summer of their lives are filled with naivete, promise, and hope, and soon enough autumn makes its appearance, giving way to a knowing maturity and a wealth of memories and experiences lived. Increasingly, though, the impending winter of our lives makes its presence known in the physicality of our experience. Aging is not all a pleasant process. 

I'm going to be turning 50 in just a couple of months.  My autumn!  It's been on my mind, for a long time now...probably since last year when I turned 49.  I don't feel 50, and I don't think I look it either, but I can't avoid it.  I can't, even though I'd like to.  I thought that by this time in my life I'd be in a far different place than I am right now, a place where I'd be sharing my life with someone special and enjoying more of the things that life has to offer,  More comfortable in the world.  Where did the time go?

I'm not going to go all depressed on you, though.  Lol.  My life is pretty darned good, despite whatever problems I may have, and I'm going to be 50 like I was 49 and 48 and so on... In other words, I'm going to continue to be me, forever young at heart (and hopefully in the looks department, too!)!  The impending change of seasons has gotten me a little down this weekend, can't you tell?  It's be only temporary, though.  There's a lot more of me to come, so if you're with me, stay tuned.

Here's how I finished that post from a year ago.  They're just some words of wisdom I have to keep reminding myself of every now and then....

No, autumn isn't really a time for dying.  But then again, it is.  The end can come in any season, and those of us who've reached our autumn should count our blessings at the lives we've been given so far.  The key is to cherish the memories, appreciate every moment in the present, and do all that you can do to make sure your controllable, physical endurance is nurtured and plan well for what may come.  No one really knows when time runs out, so make the most of it, no matter what season you're in!