Autumn impressions
October 9th
Someone, I guess the gardener or janitor, went to all the trouble to rake the fallen apples from the tree in a neat circle underneath that said tree. More apples had fallen since then, but I think tomorrow, as it will be another new working day — they will be added to this nice and organized pile of red apples. It looks neat and orderly and very aesthetically pleasing with color contrast between the red apples and still green grass and slightly yellow leaves. It looks like someone cares about the work they do and finds a way to bring deeper meaning to even the most mundane task. I like that. I like the fact that people find pride in what they do, no matter how meaningless and simple that work is. For example — I feel pride in each post I write for this blog.
Autumn means that soon there will be a remembrance of our loved ones who passed on. There is infertile idiocy in the commercialism and consumerism of Halloween, but as soon as that day is over — All Saints' Day and then All Souls’ Day will be here. And for me, that is the most important official holiday of the year. Every November 1st, as far as I remember, was the day to visit cemeteries to light candles and place flowers on the graves of family members and friends who are no longer with us. Pray for their souls, too. I don’t know how to pray anymore, and I visit cemeteries frequently throughout the year to keep the graves clean and well-presentable, but that day is still very special for me. I guess with each passing year, the fact of my mortality becomes more real.
No longer than two weeks ago, all leaves were still green. Then the sudden burst of autumn colorful foliage appeared. And as soon as beautiful colors surfaced in the canopies, then the yearly ritual of fallen leaves began. I was hoping and expecting the satisfying crunch of those leaves under my shoes as I took my morning walk today, but nothing doing. There was heavy rain last night and the leaves are too wet to make any sound as walked over them. They only stuck to the soles of my shoes and even made me slip a little as made a quick turn. The only crunching sound came from acorns as I walked underneath the oak trees. And that sound brought cawing from the crows as they swooped on the broken and mashed acorns to feast in the mid-morning sun in October.
There was no wind today, and the water in the pond was still. The only breaks on the surface came from the leaves falling on and still floating there. Soon, they will sink to the bottom. Then eventually they will turn into nutrients for other life forms — I guess some water insects and invertebrates which might live in this pond. The circle of life will close, as it does every year, only to slumber through the winter to wait for the first sun rays of the spring day to emerge and continue the ever-going dance. I feel acutely aware of every day and week and month and season and every weather change. And I feel at ease knowing that nothing will stop the progression of the natural rhythm of life. And knowing that seasons will continue their variety of weather and colors and sunshine no matter what we as people will do.
