Well, I think we are now officially falling into Fall. Night time is coming earlier and earlier, making it tougher for those of us who tend to live by the natural rhythms of daylight and darkness. I’m finding it more challenging to stay awake long enough in the evening to maintain a suitable bedtime. And sometimes I just give up and give in to my body’s desire to be done for the day. Good night to me. Might we all be better off to hibernate a little more these days?
Sometimes the gradual slant of the sun, with its yellowing light, gives away the approach of Fall before anything else. At least that’s what I notice first. And in some ways the sun feels more intense, yet the shade is much cooler. Quite different from summer. The recent rains were most welcome as they helped to dim the likelihood of wildfires. The cleansing effect diminished the dust from the dirt road and nourished the thirsty landscape. Maybe we can cut back our watering to once a week now. I hope.
This time of year is also known for the increase in visibility, partly because of the dryer air. I love to sit out in the yard, like I am right now, noticing how vivid each leaf is against the cloudless and incredibly blue sky—standing out in stark relief. Like me, the dog can’t decide whether to be in the sun or shade so both of us find a blending to settle into, while the breeze rustling through the trees provides a kind of soothing music.
The other morning, pre-dawn, I lay listening to the owls echoing through the canyon in my semi-conscious slumber. Lyrics from a song came to mind:
Don’t let it bring you down
It’s only castles burning
Find someone who’s turning
And you will come around
The words and melody repeated in my mind and it occurred to me how aptly this applies to our current political Fall, and also to the problem of zealotry of any kind. Then this thought came to me:
Don’t get snagged by the messenger. Just carry out the message.
Not proselytize. Quietly, subtly, and without recognition, simply live the message. My dad used to say that as a young boy scout, he was supposed to do a good deed each day that nobody knew about—only him. After completing the task he could then shift his penny from one pocket to the other. An inward reminder that he helped to make the world a better place.
As the season changes I add another quilt to the bed to snuggle under, but still leave the window ajar so I can hear the poorwills, owls and crickets. Nowadays the weather seems to change higgledy-piggledy, like Russian roulette, or the game of rock-paper-scissors. A warm night that leads to a cool day. Or a predicted light rain which ends up dumping bucketloads…
Fall always feels like a good time to assess the past year and make new resolutions or gain a new commitment to ongoing practices. I don’t know if this is because of it being the time when a new school year begins or what. But for me, it feels like a more natural start than January 1st ever does. For one, I’m going to try to remember to choose joy more often. And when I do, then good things can be brought forth. And that goes right along with positivity and integrity. At least, that’s what I’m shooting for.
Chi Varnado has published six books including fiction, nonfiction and children’s books. They are available on www.amazon.com. Her collection of essays, Quail Mutterings, can be found on www.chivarnado.com or www.dancecentrepresents.com.
She is available to adults and children for fun tutoring in writing.