Autumn

I prefer autumn over the word fall.  It’s kind of like calling myself mature rather than old.  

Yesterday I pulled up the remains of frostbitten summer flowers from my planters.  The backyard looks blank, like something is missing.  The flowers were beautiful this summer and I enjoyed them immensely.  The starkness of their absence is softening by the beauty of this autumn.  The colors of the trees have been brilliant this year, bright reds, sunny golds and iridescent yellows.  As the wind outside my window is now making a kaleidoscopic dance of the leaves, I wonder what the winter holds.  I try not to think of it, because it’s not my favorite time of the year.  Snow is nice at Christmas, but other than that, I could do without it. 

I have tried to hold on to summer, because I love all things summer.  I’m still wearing sandals, but sadly I will soon have to put them back until another warmer day.  Denial won’t prevent autumn and winter from coming.   

Every season has it’s own beauty.  Whether I want to admit it or not, summer is wonderful, but autumn is a gorgeous time of year.  No other time of year has the color or sound of rustling leaves and crunch underfoot of them.   Did you know that the green leaves of summer have the colors of autumn in them?   You just can’t see that until the chlorophyll no longer does it’s job and the carotenoids and anthocyanin take over.  The chlorophyll “covers up” the colors.

I am in the autumn of my life.  There I said it.  If I had admitted that a couple of years ago, it would have been like pulling the summer flowers from their planter and mourning their loss.  It is easier to say and admit to my age than it use to be, because I’m enjoying the colors that have been there all along, but could never see.  Things aren’t important.  Relationships are.  And my relationship with Jesus.  It’s just one of those things I can’t really understand.  I only know that He shows new mercies to me everyday.  And blessings.  And that is amazing.  His grace and mercy was there all along, I just never saw it the way I do now.  That’s not to say I wasn’t aware-just as the green leaves of summer are beautiful, too, and have their purpose, His grace and mercy have been magnified by just knowing Him over the years and finding Him faithful.   I see Him differently than I did when I was in my 20’s, 30’s and even 40’s.  My relationship with Him has new colors, and they are breath taking.

Winter will come.   When it does, it will have it’s beauty, too, I just know.  I just don’t see it yet.   So for now, I’ll enjoy the autumn while it lasts.

                                                      

Okay, I know I'm cheating - more than one photo.  But, the trees are so pretty I just have to include them.   They are too pretty not to share!