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by TPO (aka J J Sefton)
The following is in response to Jane Ahlin's, "The beauty of fall: It can be savored, but not saved." ....
Thank you, Ms. Ahlin.
It is very true, Fall does indeed bring out the romantic, the philosophical, and the spiritual in all of us.
Often, Fall evokes sadness, wistfulness, or tearful exhilaration. And "Nature" reflects to us what our lives have been about. This is a time of self-evaluation, a kind of urgent audit at a critical stage when we still may have some control on our lives.
Have we loved, and have we loved right? Have we appreciated enough the gifts of life and love? Have we given back in at least the same measure as we've received?
And those "cattails" ... oh, those cattails ... they evoke images of empty nests, parents letting their children go out into the world. Transition time, or the baton hand-off. Poof, and they are gone!
Fall is a time of fulfillment, a glad time actually if your life has meant something to you or others. If not, then Fall is still a time of hope, of a chance for redemption. Fall is a hurry-up time, a time of preparation before Winter sets in and finality (death) is at the door.
It is good that "Thanksgiving Day" happens to fall in the Fall. But why did they have to put it all the way out at the end of November?!
