The Briar Philosopher - Oh, October

This morning there was a bit of frost scattered about the low-lying fields, sparkling in the early morning sun as we made our way to work. The trees were putting on their Autumn show with so many shades of color moving in the light breeze. It was a glory to behold and set my heart alight with joy to be alive on this shining planet amidst the dazzling dance of creation that only October can bring to these hills. Though Spring is my favorite season, even her showy blossoms somehow fall short of rivaling the beauty of Autumn. 

The Boy and I took advantage of the warm temperature Saturday to take a walk down Turkey Foot. It was a needful thing. After three weeks of juggling all the things that must be juggled for the paper, my mind was ready and craving a step back to get a look at the bigger picture of my existence.  It is too easy to let the mind get trapped in the everyday tasks of work and bill paying, and budgets, words that must be written, and laundry that must be done. My mind gets scattered, and when it does, only nature, in all her glory, has the power to gather me in. 

The walk was amazing. The myriad magic of this season is nowhere better reflected, in my humble opinion, than in the forests and creeks that surround us. The beauty is so intense, so immense that it seems almost that my heart cannot contain it. There was a sense that not only was I moving through the forest but that the forest was also moving through me. It is that sense of the sacred that I seek out, and it is that sense of the sacred that heals my weary mind and calls me back into myself. When I am in such places, surrounded by the wonder of all that is, I cannot help but be filled with an understanding of how ancient the song of life is on this planet. I cannot help but know in my very bones that we are all tied to all of creation on any level you’d care to mention. The water in the flowing creek also flows through my veins. The ancient stones rising above me are mirrored in my bones, and the colors of the trees and mosses are reflected in my eyes. It is then that I feel myself in the presence of that which is sacred, and not only am I in the presence, but I am also filled with something holy, something that reminds me that there is more to this life than files and formalities. Other people have other kinds of what they would call “religious experiences,” but for me, the sure and certain knowledge that there is a pattern of which I am a part, a pattern that expands to contain all that is; I find that sense most easily far away from the things of man. I am beyond grateful when those moments find me. 

I hope each of you finds a time to take a walk in this glorious season, or at least take a look out the window when dawn is breaking or when the shades of evening paint the sky and the falling sun seems to set the trees on fire. I know this is supposed to be a season of falling away and that many think of it as a dying time. But when I am out in it, I begin to understand how the ancient Celts, to whom many of us in these hills can trace our heritage, considered this season the beginning of the year. The celebration that has become Halloween was once called Samhain, and far from being about spooks and haints and things of evil, it was a time to remember those who had gone on and a time to look forward to rest and rejuvenation. It was a time of gatherings, a time to share what we had with our community, a time to reconnect with life. When they spoke of the veils growing thin, it wasn’t about being haunted. It was about being reminded of the footsteps of the elders long past that brought us here.  It is that sense of beginnings and that sense of being connected to my ancestors that fills me this time of year. 

I wish you all a blessed autumn and hope you find something within the season to remind you that you are more than to daily grind. May your harvest of days fill you with wonder and peace.