Fall Reflections

It’s raining.

Many people hide out from the rain, complaining bitterly whenever it starts to fall, only enjoying bright, cheerful, sunny days. Now, I’m not going to knock sunny days. Sunshine is gorgeous, and warm sunny days are very pleasurable and they lift the spirits. But, instead of only seeing beauty when it’s obvious, I see beauty everywhere, even things where one might not normally find anything lovely. And that’s the thing about seeing beauty in unusual places: if you see the beauty there, your mood doesn’t have to be negatively affected.

There’s something so relaxing for me about rainy fall days. Just the quiet of them. Tree trunks, blackened from the rain except for the birch, receding with such contrast into the still-lush canopies of leaves practically dripping with vivid oranges and reds and yellows. The sky is light, but everything else seems to be in shadow. All colors seem hyper-saturated, like the rain has washed away all the dirt and grime, and the true colors can finally shine through. Those are the days I brush the dust off of myself, as well.

Whether I’m in the toasty car looking out the window watching the trees pass by, or I’m at home curled up under a throw, sipping hot tea as I watch the rain fall, it’s the perfect time to slow down and actually be aware of the enjoyment of life. We all spend so much time rushing places. We rush so hard all the time to live life that along the way we forget to live life. I’m not immune to being caught up in the business of life, but I do know that eventually, I have to stop and take in the scenery, to smell the proverbial roses. I use the slow lull of these wet fall days for this purpose. For me, rainy fall days are a way to relax and chill, to just be there watching, experiencing, allowing the stillness of the day to flood over and around me, to lift me up and set me adrift along the river of my memories. It’s my time to reflect on life and the passage of time, and to get back in touch with parts of myself that I haven’t visited in a while. These are my days to become grounded again.

I find these mini vision quests to be so helpful and satisfying. The energy of the summer is gone, but the hardship of the winter isn’t yet upon us, so I can finally take in a deep breath and find my peace again. It’s all very zen.

There’s a reason fall is my favorite season.

NB: I looked around for the perfect photo to go with this post, and while I saw many gorgeous photos, nothing quite captured the essence of what I described. I suppose I could go out and shoot some photos, as I’ve threatened for weeks. There’s one big drawback to these types of days, though:

They’re absolutely perfect for a nap.