While driving home last night my busy thoughts of the day were interrupted by the beautiful display that is fall; the trees appearing to be on fire with the most beautiful copper and golden display. I was so grateful for the interruption. The reminder. Everyone loves fall. It's a fireworks display with ooo's and aaaah's all around. It's a brief season that marks an end and a beginning. It’s a resting place and a jumping off point. An understanding that the abundance of spring and summer are behind us and the stark cold winter is ahead. Even if there wasn't a holiday to mark it, it's a time of pulling people you love a little closer for warmth.
The first signs of a different kind of season change are being seen around the country now. Nothing so dramatic as the center ice melting or the first spring blossom, more like the steady rain that falls after a hurricane. The skies aren't clear yet, there's shit everywhere and your roof is missing, but at least it's light out now and the wind has stopped blowing. Less "Springtime in America" and more "If your clothes aren't on fire then it was a good landing."
That fleeting thing called Hope is starting to dance around the edges of our collective periphery. The memo goes out today that no one look directly at it or speak too loudly of it or it may disappear. You are allowed to whisper it and share glances filled with wishful thoughts and crackling expectation but please do not be so arrogant as to believe Hope will realize its full potential this time. It counts on us to do our part and right now our part is to hold still, keep each other safe, and wait for it. Hope is dying to put on a beautiful display for us. Ooooh's and aaah's all around. And so we will wait.
With all of this internal and external transition it's more imperative than ever that we pull each other a little closer for warmth. We must hold fast to one another for the winter and the spring that are coming simultaneously right now. Be sure to trade off on being crazy so everyone gets a turn, and inject laugher at every opportunity as it helps water down the fear. A holiday is not required for any of this, but one is coming so we might as well take advantage of it.
We must continue to connect, even while we are somewhat fractured as a country. Even while there are millions of other tiny fractures peppering our families. Healing is messy and really not pretty until it's over. In fact, it really only looks good when you look back on it so don't expect miracles at first. But, having said that, please don’t give up on expecting miracles. And don't be surprised if things look even worse before they look better because that’s a fun trick things like to play. But above all else, don’t let Hope hear you lose faith. If you doubt things will get better internally then simply remember that externally the seasons grind on, whether it's a season you voted for or not. A new season will come and inevitably transition to another. Railing against it is like fighting tides and sunrises. So we cling tight to the ooo's and aaaaah's and pull each other close when it's cold. As we always have.
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