Change Comes In Autumn

Autumn by firemind.


There are many changes throughout the year. Some of them effect me more than others. The daily cycle of daylight and darkness should have the strongest effect on me, but it doesn't. Artificial light and years of shift work took away what little time sense I had as a kid.

What effects me the most are the change in seasons. These changes are visible, and can be felt on many levels. For me, change sometimes coincides with the change in seasons. This is especially true where Autumn is concerned.

I have known about this all my life but it really hit home after "Suicide Summer". That summer in 1982 was a very tough one for me. I struggled to keep things together long enough to find a way out of the situation. My one hope was that my university application would be accepted. There were no other options that I could see.

I made it through that summer and went to university in September. I left behind a town, and a life that had given up on me. As Summer turned into Fall I was in the midst of a big change in my life. I knew this but couldn't foresee the pattern that was developing.

For many years I lived within a yearly cycle of 'first term, second term, Summer'. First term began in September.

After I graduated I found that this cycle continued to a certain degree. It wasn't as intense but I noticed that the biggest changes in my life still came in Autumn.

In Autumn the nights get longer and the days shorter. Things seem to slow down. However, animals and plants become very busy breeding and preparing for Winter. There is a chaotic balance that shakes things up after a lazy Summer.

I like Autumn. The days slowly change from hot and bright to cool and gray. I can get different types of pictures than at other times of the year. The leaves change colour and are beautiful

Autumn brings school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and other things to keep us busy. Autumn reminds us that change can't be avoided and that it can be fun.

---

This is my submission to Jake's Fall Festival.