In the weeks after Labor Day, many people are a bit blue with the end of summer. But I have to confess that I couldn't be happier about the coming of fall. For me, September and October are the best months, as well as being the most emotionally healthy time of the year.
Autumn Ambition
Ambition has become something of a dirty word, tainted with materialism and greed. But I find that shaking off the sleepy languor of summer is a relief when it means that I am engaged in pursuing thoughtful, passionate goals.
I actually become a little antsy when the world shuts down in August while I still have things that I want to do. Having chosen the kind of work I do, I want to pursue it, and fall carries with it a back-to-school enthusiasm for achieving my goals. What is a passion or a goal that you can work toward this fall?
Families Without Holidays
Although September has the Jewish holidays and October brings Halloween, the fall does not have the pressure that comes with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Everyone having returned from vacations, my family tends to get together quite a bit in the fall but we do so because we want to rather than being under the obligation of a holiday gathering.
These are some of our most relaxed and enjoyable times together. When is a time you can get together with your extended family this fall...just because you want to?
The Joys of Other People
From small towns to large cities, fall is a season filled with community activities. Fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and Halloween carnivals are holdovers from a more innocent era in American history.
At one time, these events celebrated the harvest but they still remain important markers of community life and remind us that, although being around other people can sometimes be aggravating, it really is central to the joy of living. What is a festival or community event that you can attend this fall?
The Cozy Factor
Yes, the days get shorter and the skies are sometimes gray but, let's get real, fall has the cozy factor. For me, there is nothing more comforting than walking through my neighborhood on a fall evening with lights on in windows and seeing glimpses of people at home cooking, relaxing...just living. Even living in Los Angeles, I remain a fan of the leaves turning color and hearty stews for dinner. What represents a cozy fall evening to you?
So for anyone feeling melancholy that summer is over, I hope you will open yourself to the joys of fall. It can be the healthiest season.
The Principles
by Patrick Moore
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