Fall is the gathering time. Gathering in of crops, gathering in of ideas, gathering all the lost bits and pieces that got strewn around during the play of Summer, gathering our wits to deal with everything that begins again in fall like school, work, projects, and plans. But fall is also the time of gathering together and creating community.
Halloween will be upon us shortly and parties will abound both for children and adults. Scary parties and fun parties and scary-fun events abound. People recreate themselves as something else and try on what it would be like if they could be ‘this’. Letting go of the old and making light of it so that we can lay down the burdens and the baggage we light up the night with candles and carved pumpkins and bonfires and revel in the delight of possibilities.
Thanksgiving we take stock of what we have and who we are and bring it all together. Families meet, friends gather, and we share who we are and what we have and then revel in the abundance of it all. Oh and eat a lot and watch huge amounts of sports and mercilessly tease those who watch huge amounts of sports.
Christmas – well I won’t even get into Christmas much. Between the consumerism and the stress it’s almost become its own universe. I try to remember that it’s about the shortest day of the year and the return of the light and enjoy it with family and friends. And I sing the songs from the old Rankin/Bass Christmas specials, which I have on DVD. Nobody’s perfect. 🙂
So gather it all in, decorate and party and explore and enjoy. Fall is one of the best times of the year.