Autumn Changes

Autumn arrived and the change of seasons has brought with it the first rains we’ve seen in months. My thirsty trees and plants are soaking up the love in the same way they soak up the first warm days of spring. They were ready for this.

And I’m ready too. Although the flooding gutters, muddy driveway and dropping temperature remind me that I’ll have plenty to do to get ready for the winter that’s coming, I’m still committed to enjoying the change of fall while it’s here, along with all of the other changes in my life.

In some ways, I’m as thirsty for a new season in my life as the dry foothills around me are. I often think that nature seems to roll with change so much more easily than we people sometimes do, but really, it’s a process on all sides. Just like the trees don’t have to be ready for freezing nights just yet, I don’t have to stress that I might not be completely prepared today for what might come two seasons from now either. All I have to do is know that change is coming, know that I am equipped to deal with it and soak up all the wonderful rain that is refreshing my soul right now.

Looking back at the changes of the last few years, I feel like I’m no longer a sapling dependent on outside stakes to keep from snapping in the wind. I have a much stronger trunk, the kind that knows how to bend and flex in storms. I have sturdy roots, have been pruned and can carry heavy loads. I also produce beautiful flowers, comforting shade and nourishing fruit. And I know that I’m still growing.

So, today I’m enjoying that the air smells clean and fresh. I’m ignoring the lack of firewood and slightly leaking window because the bigger picture is that I’m in a warm and cozy home with my children, a pot of soup on the stove, bread in the oven and plenty of movies and board games. Today, I’m soaking up all the blessings in the midst of change.

And I'm looking forward to seeing what the next season brings my way.


How about you? Any changes on the horizon?