The Mellow Season of Autumn

As I sit alone in my camper tonight, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense that autumn is upon us.  The cold rain is falling and playing strange tunes on the roof of the camper, an occasional gust of wind pounds on the windows, the leaves have lost their luster with some turning yellow, and a few of the trees are losing their leaves.  In the background, I have the radio tuned to a "smooth" easy-listening channel, as I sip a hot cup of tea and honey.  Other than being with my family, there is no other place I would rather be tonight than in my little 22 foot camper.  I know that there will be a few more hot days in the next couple of weeks, but there is no mistaking that we have turned the corner and the seasons are changing.

Autumn is my favorite time of year.  I have great memories of the "harvest season". My grandparents yard was the perfect place to play when the leaves started to fall.  I made huge piles of leaves and would jump into the piles until I was exhausted.  And then I would just lie down and enjoy the softness the piles provided.  I also loved being in Farmdale (the woods) in the fall.  Although seemingly meaningless and uneventful, one of the favorite memories of my youth was during the fall when I took a walk through the woods.  It was a Sunday afternoon and I laid down on a gradually sloping hill that overlooked the 15-foot wide stream that passed through the valley.  The air was crisp, the sun was warm, and I fell asleep while listening to the birds chirping and watching the squirrels scurry about hunting for their winter sustinence.  I remember feeling at ease and at peace.  Like I had the whole world in front of me and that my future was bright.  It was one of those perfect autumnal days that occur more frequently in my mind than in reality.  I will never forget that feeling.

Today, fall is the time of the year that I look forward to a simple cup of hot chocolate or hot tea with honey.  It's time for a Friday night high school football game.  It is a time for long sleeve shirts, hikes on the Natchez Trace, walks at night with a full moon, and a time to gather inside the warm house with friends and family.  Every five years, fall is a time to gather together at high school reunions and remember the good old days and tell tales of when we were handsome and great.

Just as nature has seasons, so does life.  I think I am in the "early autumn" of my life.  Just as the leaves change color and the days seem to mellow a little, my hair is greying and I am more content than ever to enjoy the easy-going, simple things in life. 

In the fall, in the latter part of their lives, leaves shine brightly and are full of color.  By serving others, I hope that others can say the same of the way that I spent the "autumn" of my life.

"Youth is like spring, an over-praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes.  Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in its flowers, we more than gain in its fruits." - Samuel Butler