Welcome Autumn!

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."  
                                                                                                  ~Elizabeth Lawrence

One of the things that gives my life meaning is being connected to nature.  Going into outdoor spaces, whether it be my garden, the water, the woods, or to take in the night sky, my body chemistry seems to change.  Where there was stress or anxiety, I often feel at peace when moving outdoors. It is in nature that I am most aware of the wonders of the universe and things that can not be explained.  My balm and my temple in one.

I am also a creature of ritual, and so marking the change of seasons gives me pleasure and keeps me present.  Part of my daily routine throughout the year is to note all the changes in the trees and the flowers and the sky on my way to work.  I always take time out to mark the day when one season folds into the next.  On the first day of summer, I wrote a promise to myself on a little square dragonfly card and tucked it into an aqua colored envelope. Today, the last day of summer, I read it and am pleased that my intentions to experience peace and to expect great things came to some fruition.  A nice way to bring summer full circle and get ready for fall.

So, now I look forward to hot soups, walks in the crisp air, the smell of wood burning, black swirling flocks of migrating birds, the noisy chatter of crows, pumpkins and cinnamon baked apples, snuggles, blankets, sweaters and the flare of radiant color just before the leaves surrender to winter.

In the meantime, though, we're going to spend the weekend at the ocean in the crease of the summer and fall where anything is possible with the weather.  There we'll spend time being still and we'll welcome whatever the season brings.

What rituals create meaning in your life?  Which ones might you add to help you slow down and be present?