Fall - A Time Transition
The fall season has many meanings for me. It is a time of transition that takes us from warm balmy days to the more harsh weather of winter. It's a time that takes us from the spectacle of nature in full bloom, to nature in hibernation. The signs of this transition are everywhere. The vivid colors of summer fade away, the color of the sky changes from deep blue to gray. The green fades from the grass and plants lose their blossoms. The leaves on the trees turn color, and lose their grip. Insects disappear. It's the tune of year that signifies the end of summer and vacations. No more picnics, swimming, baseball, tennis, and a myriad of other activities that most of us enjoy in the outdoors. It signals that during the next few months we will have to endure weather conditions that are not conducive to spending quality time outdoors enjoying nature. The knowledge of this seasonal period of transition awakens, in me, a more keen awareness of my surroundings than at any other time of year. The deeper appreciation comes from knowing that the good weather days are coming to an end.
The fall season conjures up all sorts of analogies in my mind. For example, football and basketball games are divided into four quarters, a dollar is divided by four quarters, the calendar year is divided into four quarters, and the human life span might also be divided into four 20 year parts, assuming that we live an average of 80 years. In all these examples, the third period precedes the fourth (end stage) and is significant because it signals the beginning of the end of something that we either enjoy or are experiencing. The most intriguing analogy is the comparison of life and the seasons of the year. Without a lot of effort we can draw the analogy between each of the four periods of life and the four quarters of the year. Fall is the third period of the year, a