Bill Dogterom
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Fall
Well, its official. Autumn has arrived. My furnace came on last night – the sure sign of the death of summer. Sure, the days still soar into the mid-80’s and the leaves still seem as green as ever they did. But once the furnace has come on, its just a matter of time. Some parts of the country have already had their first frost – but I don’t live there. For me, this is the time of year when the lawn has just begun to recover its density and color having survived the last blast of summer’s heat. When I was a kid, this was the time of year when my dad armed us with rakes and sent us out to pull the dead grass into piles, preparing for the onset of winter. But I don’t live there either – at least not anymore.
Autumn in Southern California marks a return to clearer skies, sharp silhouettes of the near hills, and a certain crispness in the air that makes you glad to be alive and living here. These are the days of distraction. So much is happening in the rest of the world – the rest of the country – that demands attention and response. But the sunset’s stunning beauty makes us mindless. It is hard to remember in the light of such startling wonder. Time will come for fires, rains, leaf stripping winds – but today, now, attention must be paid. Not to notice would be a crime against glory.
It is the nature of life – the nature of nature – that one day follows another, that one season follows another. The task before us each day is to live that day. If that day contains sorrow and death, we must mourn. That is what is called for. To do other would be a violation of time. But when the day – or the moment in the day – has within it the reminders of life and vitality and hope, we must dance. That is what is called for. To do other would be a violation of time. And so, on crisp, sunny, glorious fall days, we give ourselves permission to stretch up to our full height, out of the night-cold shadows into the sunny warmth of the new morning.
God, it seems, knows that we can not long endure unending sorrow. And so, into each season of loss is sprinkled reminders of joy. When we come across them, as we will if we allow ourselves to notice, we must give them their due. We must pause. We must applaud. We must live in the moment of sun through the rain. We must join in the untimely burst of laughter. We must sit – stand – sing – dance in the sunlight of love expressed in this moment.
Sufficient unto the day is the beauty thereof.
Autumn in Southern California marks a return to clearer skies, sharp silhouettes of the near hills, and a certain crispness in the air that makes you glad to be alive and living here. These are the days of distraction. So much is happening in the rest of the world – the rest of the country – that demands attention and response. But the sunset’s stunning beauty makes us mindless. It is hard to remember in the light of such startling wonder. Time will come for fires, rains, leaf stripping winds – but today, now, attention must be paid. Not to notice would be a crime against glory.
It is the nature of life – the nature of nature – that one day follows another, that one season follows another. The task before us each day is to live that day. If that day contains sorrow and death, we must mourn. That is what is called for. To do other would be a violation of time. But when the day – or the moment in the day – has within it the reminders of life and vitality and hope, we must dance. That is what is called for. To do other would be a violation of time. And so, on crisp, sunny, glorious fall days, we give ourselves permission to stretch up to our full height, out of the night-cold shadows into the sunny warmth of the new morning.
God, it seems, knows that we can not long endure unending sorrow. And so, into each season of loss is sprinkled reminders of joy. When we come across them, as we will if we allow ourselves to notice, we must give them their due. We must pause. We must applaud. We must live in the moment of sun through the rain. We must join in the untimely burst of laughter. We must sit – stand – sing – dance in the sunlight of love expressed in this moment.
Sufficient unto the day is the beauty thereof.
Comments:
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Wow, this beautiful meditation reminds me of those days when the trees would suddenly change from wet greens to fiery orange, yellow, red, and browns. Ah to be in a place where the trees declare the glory of God's artistic masterpiece annually!
Wow Bill, you're writing reminds me of those reflective monastics!
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Wow Bill, you're writing reminds me of those reflective monastics!
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