It is difficult to believe that
summer is over today and autumn or fall begins.
The summer offered many challenges to us this year. It was one of the
warmest summers in history and along with the heat; we’ve seen many disasters
from draught, fires, floods and storms. However, a new season of life has now
begun. Autumn is here and the trees and
plant life are starting the process of going into a dormant stage. These are not dying, they just shift their
objectives and their energy is now turned to making roots and ready for another
spring. It is not dying time; it’s changing time. This is a very special time
of the year where something special occurs. As someone so beautifully stated, “autumn is a second spring where every leaf
is a flower.”
Fall is a beautiful time when the
tree-leaves change colors and create an unbelievable landscape of unimaginable
colors of beauty. It’s a time when the
trees that have all blended together in one color during the summer gets to
show their individual beauties of their true colors and what a sight to
behold. It is a time when the beauty of
God’s creation transitions into a time of waiting; this time of waiting is very
productive time in anticipation for the rejuvenation of life to begin anew. This time of anticipation of when new life
will begin will happen for we know it is God’s plan, it will happen.
Fall also, reminds me of the end
of the day when one is now able to put all the challenges that we faced during
the day behind us, relax and be reenergized for a new beginning tomorrow. Each day is a new beginning where our true
and beautiful colors are able to show through all the surrounding colors and be
what God has truly created us to be as individuals.
“Autumn
of My Life refers to the last portion of one's life. It is a metaphor which
likens one's life to the season when the time for planting, growing, and
flowering is over, when the temperatures begin to drop, and the days become
shorter.” [1] As in life, autumn is described
as a period of maturity or incipient decline. Many look at
this time as a time of dormancy, having “served my time.” It doesn’t have to be a life of decline or
dormancy. It is not just a resting
time; it’s preparation time; it is growing time. We must use our time wisely and make the best
of each day. For the young as well as
the “older ones” we can learn lessons from the plant life. They show the beauty of their individuality
and when the leaves are gone, they are growing deeper so they are ready for the
next season. During this time, “Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous
ways. The dry seasons in life do not
last. The spring rains will come again.”[2]
The next season may be here in
this life for us or it may be our eternal life. So now that autumn, whether
seasonal or life itself is here, let us use
this special time to be a growing time, a preparation time and make the most of
who we are and wait patiently until it’s our time to demonstrate our true beauty. “And let us not grow weary of doing good,
for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”[3]
The
Apostle Paul stated in the autumn of his life, “This is
the only race worth running. I've run hard right to the finish, believed all
the way. All that's left now
is the shouting — God's applause! Depend on it, he's an honest judge. He'll do
right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.[4]
