Autumn
One September, when Autumn officially arrived, I was fortunate to be in Tennessee, where I was privileged to watch the trees, one by one, don their garments of red and gold. I was certainly in touch with how this season heralds transformation.
Unmistakably, Autumn offers the opportunity for change. She heralds the beginning of the school year and opens the gates to the ending of the calendar year. Before the season ends, we are presented with opportunities to celebrate 2005 and prepare for 2006. We, however, do not always welcome change. Change is inevitable but often scary. All in life is impermanent. Some change is natural, like the seasons or moving from one place in the lifecycle to another (infancy to adolescence). Other changes are catastrophic, like the devastation from the hurricanes. But, as Autumn offers the opportunity for change, so does change offer the opportunity for growth and transformation within ourselves.
It is rare that change occurs in one grand leap. Baby steps are more the norm. We often defeat ourselves if we attempt to change in giant steps or change too many things at once, because the effort or pain of letting go of what is known taxes our energy and can even be scary. The trick is to notice and celebrate each small change, for change is most often silent and subtle. And, once we have let go of old patterns, we find ourselves making friends with the unfamiliar—and even risking new adventures. “Yet every movement in the symphony of our lives is both a challenge to give up the old—and an invitation to hear a new and exhilarating melody.” M.R. Scaperlanda
