In the Autumn of my Life

            I have always loved the fall season.

            What’s not to love about inviting, crisp mornings followed by lovely warm afternoons and beautiful sunsets? The night air quickly cools off the house so that the bedroom windows can be left open. As I drift off to sleep, I hear the comforting sound of combines working late into the night and the honking of geese passing overhead.

            It’s the perfect time of year for sweaters, boots and jeans. (Some of my favourite wardrobe choices.)

            Morning coffee can still be enjoyed on the back deck while taking in the lovely sights and smells that the season brings. It seems as if Mother Nature is giving us one last glorious display before winter arrives.

            The season is also the culmination of the effort and hard work from the previous months. Produce from the garden is being collected and stored, farmers are harvesting their crops, and even the last blooms of flowers are being enjoyed.

            With winter just around the corner, folks are hoping that nice weather will stay around just a bit longer so that those neglected outside jobs can be completed or a final game of golf enjoyed before the clubs are put away. We try our best to hold on to those magnificent days as long as possible.

            Maybe that’s why my love for this season has grown deeper as I age. After all, I am, what most folks would call, in the autumn of my life.

            It is a time in which to reap the benefits of retirement after many years of teaching, raising a family, and community involvement. It’s what we envision as we labour in our youth.       And much like those folks wishing for more lovely days before the snow flies, I, too, am hoping this season of my life will last as long as possible. There is much more I wish to accomplish and experience before winter sets in.

            George Eliot summed it up nicely.

            “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

            As delightful as that sounds, I would not trade this time in my life for anything else. It’s a beautiful season and I plan to savour every last morsel of it.