Commencement

Without school to plan for the last decade plus, I've wrestled with the start of Fall. Even though we don't officially bid adieu to Summer until the equinox on the full moon this month, anything post-Labor Day takes on a more serious air. Therefore so do I.
I start announcing "it's the last..." of this and that - beach days, al fresco dining, sandals, and summer sunsets. The reality is these events go on as long as we need them to, sometimes with a few more layers of clothing. Summer will return. Sometime in late April we will get the feeling that Summer won't let us down and it comes back. Maybe this is why I find comfort in the seasons. I need the reminder that life is cyclic, consistent. I too will survive a harsh winter like a daffodil bulb or a peony bush in hibernation.
I finally release the grief about summer when cool mornings arrive on my doorstep and the sun sets noticeably earlier. Town quiets to a dull roar on weekends and I inventory my sweaters. There are renewable ideas to get excited about once more because a new season is knocking at the door. A cozier season with crunchy leaves, fires, football, and routine.
Tomorrow is the beginning of New York Fashion Week, even though it's Spring 2014 collections it ushers in the beginning of the next season. Back to work, back to school. Today is also my half birthday. Usually the birthday is the beginning of the year in the spiritual world, today being my halfway point. I'll take this harvest time to review what has been, and what needs to be. Until then, let's express ourselves creatively and with humor. Most often these are the bones of my life giving me tenacity and curiosity to explore what is next.
Until my next post...