6 Reflections on Autumn

Autumn used to be my favourite month. I say used to be because my feeling have changed as I’ve become older.

Autumn Changes

Change is synonomous with Autumn. I have my reasons for changing my feelings about the season, probably because of the changes in my life. I used to love the changing leaves and watching them fall in their amazing colours. I loved the trees becoming bare and showing their branches. I welcomed the shortened days (And not only because it’s easier to get the kids to bed when it’s actually dark.) I also welcomed the cooler weather and being able to wrap up in layers and warmer clothes. I’ve never really been a sun worshipper.

As you get older you reach the Autumn of your life as you watch your body change too. But unlike the leaves falling off the trees, you know that come next Spring you are not going to be renewed and become beautiful again.

The Mystery of Autumn

Autumn holds lots of mystery. You have Halloween and the mystery of the spookiness surrounding the celebrations. You have a sense of the unknown, what is going to happen next. Yes, ok you can have plans but once you reach this stage of life, it is a mystery as to where you will go next. Why do we have to get older, why do things have to change?

One of the mysteries I have fall upon me every Autumn is ‘where the heck am I going to get the money to afford a load of Christmas presents.’ A lot of people don’t want to think of Christmas this soon, but for some it’s a necessity, which brings me neatly on to my next reflection.

Planning for Autumn

Autumn is a great time for planning, whether it’s for Christmas celebrations or holidays next summer. As those freezing cold months approach it’s nice to avert our thoughts with the joys of summer next year. That’s forward planning to get you through the winter.

You are probably planning a new wardrobe too. The weather is getting colder and it’s time to put away the shorts and t-shirts and get out the winter woolies and coats.

I’ve been thinking up some plans too, as I’m not getting any younger and I have a chronic illness, my thoughts are turning to what will I leave behind. I’m not rushing off to write a will, I don’t have that much to leave in that sense. But what about memories, and photos and even videos (cringe.) I would like to think that my children (And maybe, possibly, even my future grandchildren) will have some visual memories of me.

Comfort

Autumn brings comfort in many ways. First of all there is the comfort of a nice warm fire or central heating. When I was a kid we had not double glazing or central heating, so the colder months would involve taping cling film to the winter and grabbing a few extra blankets for the bed. I’d also have a hot water bottle and possible even go to bed in my dressing gown.

These days we are lucky to have a new house with good insulation and central heating. In fact we rarely notice the cold at all. Although I do tend to have a draft excluder at my patio doors. If I get cold I’ll reach for an extra layer or a blanket before switching on the heating, and it’s not just frugality. I don’t like the ‘dry’ heat from radiators.

I find that being unable to work and not being able to do very much at all that snuggling up and being comfortable is a lot easier in winter than it is in Summer. When it’s warm and sunny outside I always get that feeling that Im missing out on something, and that I should be outside and enjoying myself.

Preservation

I believe that Autumn makes you think of preservation. We know that we can’t preserve the nature that is crumbling around us, but we can think of self preservation. Looking after yourself is most important this time of year. A lot of people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder that often begins as the darkness gets earlier. It’s important to preserve your mental health and take care of it so that you don’t get pulled under with depression.

Letting Go

Just as the trees and flowers let go of their leaves and blooms, as you get older you think about all the things that you can let go of.

Stress is one thing, we can all do with less of that. If only we could shed it like the leaves from a tree? But we can consider the things we can let go of that cause the most stress.

We can also let go of some of the work we do ourselves, maybe consider delegating them to others. The kids will be willing to help more in the house at this time of year, especially if they are wanting some expensive Christmas gifts. Is that taking advantage? Maybe, but it also helps to alleviate some of the stress you are feeling and it fills a purpose for others.

Without getting too morbid, Autumn can also make you think about your demise. When will it be your winter and your body is no longer warm? It’s never an easy thing to think about. But when you are getting older and your body seems to be having a battle with itself, then maybe now is the time to to give this some thought

And if you are still young, and nowhere near reaching the Autumn of your lives. Remember, Spring will be along again soon and the fresh colourful beauty of youth will re-appear.

Autumn once meant playing conkers with my friends. Then it was making leaf collages with my kids. Now I relate it to ageing and survival.

Daft question of the day. Do you think Tortoises miss Christmas?

BLOGTOBER 2019 POSTS

• Blotgober Day 1 – All You Need is Love
• Blogtober Day 2 – Coppafeel – Breast Cancer Awareness.
• Blogtober Day 3 – Out of Spoons (a poem)
• Blogtober Day 4 – Smile
• Blogtober Day 5 – Autumn Fashion
• Blogtober Day 6 -Baking
• Blogtober Day 7 – missed
• Blogtober Day 8 – The School Run
• Blogtober Day 9 – Avon Give Away
• Blogtober Day 10 – What I’m watching (or have watched) Lately
• Blogtober Day 11 – Blogtober