OH October!

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

~From October by Robert Frost

Slow Down, October

I get Robert Frost’s wish expressed in the poem above, don’t you? Well, I mean if you live where the leaves change, but even if you don’t there are surely things in life you wish would not fly by so fast. We only have autumn color for a few weeks and it changes daily. Just when you are used to admiring the reds, golds, and oranges of autumn, you look out the window one day and they’ve fallen to the ground. The show is finished and will not return for a whole year. And even then there is no guarantee next year’s show will be as vibrant. Oh, slow down, October!

And Yet, There is a Lesson

And I’m not talking about “take time to smell the roses,”  although that’s a good lesson.The lesson I’m learning is life will not slow down, no matter how much I wish it would. And it shouldn’t. We need autumn so that winter will come. We need winter because it is a time of rest and restoration. And we need winter in order for spring to come and new leaves to form so that in the fall there will be another color show. It’s a rhythm, the rhythm of life.

Discover

That was my word for 2019. And as the year winds down, I’m learning my word meant much more than I imagined when I chose it. (That ALWAYS happens, by the way.) I’ve discovered what life will be without my mother, who passed away June 25. I’m discovering what it’s like to be Grammy to three! Last year I was only Grammy to one! I discovered a close family member I didn’t know existed and I’m learning what that relationship will be. And I’ve discovered that I can write despite distractions. (Yep, writing this during the World Series). I’ve learned that writing slow is ok. That all things work together for good for those who love God and are the called according to his purpose. (From Romans 8:28)

And I’ve learned time waits for no one. So … relax. I can’t change that truth. But I can cherish these things I’ve discovered and keep them close while I admire those radiant autumn leaves.

How about you? What have you discovered?