“A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air.” ~ Eric Sloane
When I saw this quote, I was instantly reminded of a meme I stumbled across the other day. It was the picture of a squirrel with a full rack of antlers on its head. The caption read, “Almost time for me to sound like a monster buck walking through the leaves.”
Autumn does something to us. Eric Sloane captured it so poetically when he spoke about the acoustics of the season.
We have all been there and experienced that. We sit outside and listen to the wind whispering through the trees. We hear the animals crunching through the fallen leaves. We smell the difference in the earth. The subtle decay of the leaves on the ground tells us of a different season.
As we experience the sights and the sounds of autumn, our minds turn to the changing of seasons. Not only do we think about spring, summer, autumn, and winter, we also think about the seasons of our lives.
Autumn, though it is often considered one of the most beautiful seasons with all the vivid colors of the leaves, often reminds people about the changes in their lives that herald great changes that lead to old age and to death. None of us likes to think about that. Sometimes, though, the seasons bring it out in us.
You know what? There is nothing wrong with that. We need reminders of our own fragility lest we begin to think that we are the ones in charge and that we do not need the help of our God. The reminder that we are aging and that a time will come when we will be no more can be sobering. It can truly challenge us to make things right between ourselves and God.
Enjoy the season of autumn. Enjoy the change in the air, the different smells, the bright colors of autumn plants and leaves. Allow it to usher in the change of another season, as we go from autumn to winter. As we do so, we have the firm knowledge that a spring awaits with the promise of new life.
God has promised us new life as well. Savor that promise and enjoy the days with which you have been blessed.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for those who become depressed at the changing of the seasons, that they may be able to look ahead to new life and new hope.