Open Meadows: Fall into winter gracefully

by Shannon Brown

Whether we are ready for summer to be over or not, it will be leaving us soon. Enjoy the time that is left before the cold arrives. Take time to deep water those perennials, trees and shrubs to allow their roots the moisture they need before dormancy. But don’t forget to ground your own roots and breathe in the cool evening and morning air to prepare yourself for the seasons ahead. We know it’s coming, so enjoy the moment. Each season reminds us of what we relish the most. The brief pocket of time that occurs between growth and rest is a whisper and a smile amongst two teenagers who know something that they think is all their own, a secret to hide away.

But fall doesn’t hide in its briefness. It chants to us in the rustling of wind in branches ready to let go of their greenery. It sings the song of flight on the wings of migration.

Delia Owens wrote, “Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this, their only chance to soar,” from the book Where the Crawdads Sing.

Our musings are ours to take us where we want to be. Henry David Thoreau said, “I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than sit on a velvet crowded cushion.” It is in our nature to be in nature. The changing seasons bring us closer to the natural world whether we live in concrete or dirt; it lies within us.

After the heat and before the freeze, we can relish in the subtle ways of the inbetween. Our reflection in the mirror of a leaf laden pool not ready to surrender to ice shows us who we are now. A closer look reveals what we are missing as we reflect on our truths. Acceptance of where we are and allowing changes to occur brings us gratitude in the knowing. Before we can welcome winter, we must be grateful for autumn.

This is also a time to reflect on where we are headed. The atmosphere may be chaotic but we can control the energy around and inside us. The earth is spinning ever faster creating expedited change. Slow it down by taking time. Collective thoughts create action. Let the season be. Bring peace and positivity in your intentions with yourself and with others. Take time to spend time on whatever helps you relax. Outdoors. Fresh air. Deep breaths. Grounding. Looking forward, ask yourself, “Am I helping or hindering the energetic flow?” Can you accept what you are presenting to others as your best intentions?

Autumn reminds us that it is time to let go of our old ways. Set them aside to pass on. Those ideals that no longer serve us in our new mindfulness of positive change are ready to be cast off in the wind and let die in the winter. Change is inevitable. Letting go is a positive change. Without it we cannot grow. Our energetic flow is vital to growth. How we experience it and send it out to be shared with others affects our stability. Recognizing and allowing our relationship to the natural world can help restore our energy, or chi, that can help clear out those blockages that have held us back. Find your connectedness. Pile up the leaves that danced in the breeze and remember to fall into them gracefully.