By Sr. Doreen
“Earth is shedding the abundance of summer. Leaves fall from the trees. Sunlight lessens. Everywhere there is a move toward letting go.” (from the book “The Circle of Life by Macrina Wiederkehr and Joyce Rupp)
As we come to mid-November, we begin to see that it is a month of transition, from Summer/Autumn whispering of winter’s approach. The trees stand bare, their leaves scattered on the ground, a tapestry of reds, oranges, browns and golds. The air grows crisp, gone is the hot and humid weather. When outside the air seems to be carrying the scent of damp earth and woodsmoke. Days shorten, it is early dark in the evenings and late dark in the mornings. I am always surprised to see that shadows seem much longer – stretched, while the sky often seems overcast and gray. However, there is also within this gospel of autumn landscape, a quiet beauty, a time for reflection and the anticipation of the holidays to come.
As the seasons come and go, I find that I keep turning to meditation poetry that Macrina Wiederkehr and Joyce Rupp wrote about the seasons, and more especially their rich gifts that they offer from the gospel of the autumn landscape. I would like to share one of their poems called “Listening to Autumn” in their book The Circle of Life.
Autumn is slipping through summers branches and I am listening.
I am listening to the dying flowing forth from autumn’s being.
I am listening to the life hidden in the dying.
I am listening to the trees taking off their lush green garments.
I am listening to the leaves turning, turning, ever turning.
I am listening to the burning bush of autumn.
I am listening to the falling of this season.
I am listening to the song of transformation,
To the wisdom of the season, to the losses and the grieving,
To the turning loose and letting go.
I am listening to the surrender of autumn.
I am listening to the music of the forest’s undergrowth
To the crunch of leaves beneath my feet
To the miracle of crumbling leaves becoming earth again.
I am listening to the beauty and fragility of aging.
I am listening to the wheel of the year turning,
to the cycle of the seasons, to the call for harmony and balance.
I am listening to the circle of life.
I am listening to days growing shorter, to the air turning crisp and cool,
To the slow waning of the light, to the stars that shine in cold, dark nights.
I am listening to the growing harvest moon.
I am listening to happy harvest cries, to hearts overflowing with thanksgiving,
To tables laden with gifts from the earth, to baskets overflowing with fruit.
I am listening to the bountiful gift of autumn.
I am listening to a call for inner growth,
To my need to let go of material possessions,
To my need to reach out for invisible gifts.
I am listening to a call for transformation.
I am listening to the death of old ways,
I am listening to the life force turning inward.
I am listening to the renewal of the earth.
I am listening to summer handing over autumn
I am listening to the poetry of autumn.
Their ponderings always ask questions that are helpful for my own reflections:
- What is most satisfying and fulfilling for you at this time of your life?
- How have you experienced the dying of autumn in your personal growth?
- What do you fear to let go of?
- What kind of help or support do you need in order to do the letting go that is being asked of you?
May autumn lead you into deeper peace.