It is the Autumn Equinox already, this coming Monday. Why do we no longer celebrate these important changes of the seasons? Fall is a time of letting go. We are given no choice, but to accept that summer is leaving and winter will soon move in. It does no good to resist what is. If we accept the moment, we see that it brings its own gifts.
Human beings often have a difficult time letting go of the past. The past is water under the bridge. It cannot be retrieved. It cannot be brought back. We must travel with the flow of life, learn to navigate around its bumps and aim to stay in the middle of the stream, if we are to know peace.
The trees do not lament the loss of their leaves. Nor do the flowers grieve at the fading of their petals. If we turn our back on what is, we may miss the open door of opportunity in the next moment. We can remain stuck in the past, or we can allow tears and pain and grief to wash over us, until we are cleansed. If we curse the rain in the moment, we may miss the rainbow that follows.
I was recently reminded of the proverb, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Looking back upon my failures, my intentions were always optimistic. Having my own home and property, from my earliest hopes and dreams, had always been my deepest longing. Having acquired this, the sudden loss of it found me kicking and screaming in a downward spiral into hell. Eventually, I stopped fighting. I let go. I accepted the present moment. I realized that my home is not out there in the physical world. My home resides in my heart.
This time of year reminds me that change is always just around the corner. All things must pass. Whether we welcome the change, or greet it with resentment, is always up to us; but if we observe the trees, we can observe how easy it is to let go.
