Autumn

To Autumn, by John Keats’; Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
  Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

After a scorching, dry August, the balmy cool first two weeks of September, here in Atlanta, bore portents of Fall—or as Keats said, “Autumn.” Both Paige, my late wife, and Jennifer my daughter, could smell Autumn in the air before any Meteorologist even mentioned it. Like Honey Bees guided by the angle of sunlight, those two just nailed, or hailed the season change. Even when school openings moved nearly to the end of July. and they had been in class for several weeks.—the “Smell” of Autumn caressed their psyche like a gentle masseuse. It was uncanny.

Early September in our area was blessed by two simultaneous tropical systems, one a few hundred miles to the West—the other a few hundred miles to the East. Both created balmy temperatures, and cool breezes—making it feel as if Fall had skipped its early herald, and was coming a few weeks early. But for the dramatic lack of rain, it was wonderful. Now—in the midst of writing this—in the last days of September Hurricane Helene is giving the Southeast a proper drenching and more—including all of the State of Georgia, and most of the Southeast.

Autumn is filled with—–well, just filled; there is football, and well, there is football ad infinitum. But for those who manage to break away from the big screen, Autumn affords a marvelous medley of sights, sounds, scents, and activities in the out-of-doors. It is exciting to find farms that open varieties of events in Autumn. Not only their stores of home grown fruits, vegetables, and preserved delicacies, but also activities families can enjoy. These opportunities give farmers a chance to add to their income behond mere marketing wholesale. An example is the corn labyrinth; GPS technology gives farmers a means to create interesting, elaborate, and amusing patterns to their labyrinths. These spectacular mazes amuse both children and adults.

Autumn is something of a packing up of summertime fun as we build store for winter. The growing season has ended, harvest begins, leaves drift down, and nuts fall. Cool temperatures portend nearness of winter. These cycles of change provide delicious diversity to life. During my Pastoral Clinical Education residency, Cuban doctors lived down the hall from me. As winter gave way to spirng, it was interesting to see their excitemnt. Their home climate had a solemn sameness, but this new variety of season change in Middle Georgia made them glad.

Commerce rushes the seasons, as in having Christmas sales in July. However, there is something nourishing to the human spirit to drift through a season, savoring its flavors. I think of turmoil the Prophet Elijah went through. He searched for calm and safety. Earthquake, wind, nor fire gave him peace. Then he listened for “…the still, small voice…”which gave him peace. As I read that I thought it was an Autumn in Elijah’s life. A change of pace is a blessing.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2024