A Break from Politics; Thoughts and Pictures

Autumn is here...

It’s that time of year again: Autumn. The time of year that makes me reflect; both about the past and the future. This is my favorite season and it's easily the most beautiful. Perhaps there's no objective way to judge seasonal beauty, but it's certainly the one that inspires more people with any sort of sensitivity; photographers take nature shots, poets reflect and artists paint. Some might say a majestic winter snow rivals autumn’s colors, but for me it lacks the gentle beauty. The overall character of winter is like a harsh relative that remains after your favorite has passed away.



Autumn is the time when the crop would come in and man would see the fruits of his labor. Life all around us reaches a beautiful maturity, but as the cycle goes, things are actually dying. The leaves start to fall; the night encroaches on the day. As autumn sets in and the breeze turns from cool to cold, an internal clock starts to change over; it's time to take stock of the year and soon go into a form of hibernation. Its time to assess not just accomplishments but life itself in many ways, and what makes it worth living.



I think a person's favorite season says a lot about them. Some may prefer spring or summer, and its not that to appreciate autumn and winter requires a slight tinge of the "dark side," but to prefer the former seasons I think shows a lack of that tinge. Oh but I'm not putting down spring or summer, in fact they make me happy where autumn confronts me with an almost sublime preparation for a coming depression that will be winter. Spring and summer naturally cause us to come alive and alert, it's warm out and days are long, possibilities seem limitless.



In the seasons are reflected life itself. Spring is a time of birth and re-generation, a sense of potential and even sexuality is in the air. Summer is a time of youth and possibility; everything feels spontaneous, fun and easy, it feels like the days will go on forever. Autumn is a time of adulthood and reflection, the beauty of life is easily apparent but so is it's mortality that weighs on us in a slow process from September through December. Winter is a time of muted potential and death, things are put on hold and people go inward, nothing feels quite as effortless as it did before.



I suppose the beauty of the season is something either you get or you don't, but everyone can appreciate beauty even if it has to be pointed out to them. If you live in an area where the leaves do not turn, you have my full sympathy. But the thing is, the beauty of autumn isn't done for our benefit at all, we are just locked in with the cycle of nature and we recognize it for what it is.



Autumn has an effect on me in part because during the winter I have (typically mild) Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is usually described as a depression brought on by a lack of exposure to sunlight during the winter months. Every time I go through this cycle, it's the same in many ways but it's different because life is different. It's a time to check in with things, and as the years go on I come to appreciate this time of year more and more.