“From a tiny spark may burst a mighty flame.” ~ Dante
The Northern Hemisphere moves away from the warmth of the summer to the chill of the winter. The weather is becoming cooler and leaves have started changing colors. But before mother nature gives us a sign, the advertisements of bright orange pumpkins catches our eyes preparing us for the transition. Strange it is, how predictable seasonal changes are whereas life takes us by surprise with its many alterations when we are the least bit prepared.
Fall is the time for release and shedding away of the old. It is a magical time to refresh your resolves. There is magic in Autumn as it is like coming full circle in life. A time of completion and reflection.
Make the most of the season by getting rid of unnecessary stuff, thoughts and habits. Make joy a habit rather than befriending the demons of depression, so to say. Fred and I were sitting in a cafe last evening and we noticed a woman who was sitting at the corner table, sipping her coffee. The striking thing about her was she looked well-heeled but she had on her face a darn sombreness, her constant fidgeting caught our attention. She sat alone with her uncombed hair falling on her face, she kept wiping her tears. Fred and I wondered what could be her story. Maybe a nasty break up or career setback or maybe she is grieving over a lost one, well, the reasons of sadness are endless but can one reason of joy bring hope and happiness back in her life, like a million years of darkness can be removed with one tiny ray of light.
Fred ordered a box of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for the lady and sent it over to her table with a smiley drawn on the paper napkin along with a quote by Alice Morse Earle which read, “Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.”
When she received it from the bearer she gave him a questioning look and then their eyes rolled in the direction where we were sitting. She didn’t have any expression on her face and for a moment I felt we have annoyed her but gradually her eyes softened and she beamed at us making a gesture of gratitude she accepted the cookies. Joy has the quality of multiplying itself, it was not just her smiling out there or us here but the bearer and the observers around grinned cheerfully.
We rose to leave the cafe when the lady walked up to us and said, “I was going through a rough day, I am sure many people sitting in this cafeteria noticed and wondered about the reason but the two of you worked at picking me up from there, thank you for the chocolate cookies and the perfect timing.”
Autumn is a time to work on the solution rather than brooding over the cause, we know how dry and dead leaves also offer their usefulness. Pain is likewise beneficial in its own way, it makes us resilient and open. It shows us the joy inherent in little things in life. The moment of pain is profound.
Bring out the magic in you this Autumn season and create reasons to be joyful. See you in the comments.