Reflecting on Fall

Fall has brought special feelings within me all my life.  I remember even as a child having warm and somewhat nostalgic feelings every year during the fall.  Maybe it started with being raised in a rural area and realizing that fall meant the harvest and more time for families to spend together as they readied for the winter.  There was still lots of work to do, but it wasn't the same as during the long, growing days of summer.  It was something of a winding down of the year, and I loved it.  I enjoyed the cooler days that required me to have a jacket in the mornings and evenings, and even sometimes in the afternoons.

This season continues to bring warm feelings within me.  It seems to cause me to reflect more on my life, things I have done, things I have wanted to do, and some things that I miss.  And not just things, but people who have been in my life, for a short time, for a long time, and family members that are no longer with us.

Also, like spring, fall is a musical time for me.  It is a time that I always feel a strong draw to playing and performing.  Like the days were meant to be sung about and to sing in them.  It is a time for reflecting and writing.  Whether writing letters, stories, or songs, it is a time to be creative.  It is a time to remember and to hopefully figure how to use the lessons of the past to do better in the future.

The fall weather and leaf color also tends to call to me to be outside.  I want to sit on the porch, go build a campfire, go camping, go hiking, go somewhere to be in the woods, go canoing, or almost anything just to be outside.  Walking in the woods during the fall is only slightly less pleasurable than walking in the woods when it is snowing.  Both have their own sounds, feel, and smells that enhance the experience.

As I sit here at work, knowing I will be here until almost dark, I am antsy to grab my guitar and go outside to pick, and maybe work on writing a new song.  Maybe tomorrow.

Enjoy the fall and I'll see you down the road.