The Magic of Autumn

Summer nights seem to get all the glory.

There are incredible amounts of creative works written, performed, sung, and painted about the magic of a summer night.  Truth be told, I’ve always been a summer girl at heart.  I delight in the warmth of the evening sunlight on my back and the way the golden tones seem to create a glowing halo around everything they touch.  The way the cool water of a lake or stream seem to call my name on a sweltering July afternoon.  I had always balked at the arrival of autumn, bringing with it cooler weather and fewer hours of daylight.

However this year, as the days grow chillier and the leaves embolden their hues, I find myself more and more captivated by autumn.

No matter the season, twilight has always been my favorite hour.  It is the silvery seam that fastens the day to the night.  Summer twilight is heady and sultry; it shimmers like rising heat.  Autumn twilight takes on an entirely different persona.  It’s bold; the glorious colors of the sunset burst forth, setting ablaze the hillsides whose leaves only amplify their boldness.  It’s crisp; the breezes are full of brisk air that tousles the tresses and reaches deep into the lungs, purifying as it goes.  It’s cozy; the nip of the outdoors provides the perfect context for a piping-hot thermos full of rich coffee, a beautiful balance of cool and warm.  Snuggly scarves and woolen coats are delightfully worn, their familiarity like that of an old friend.  The autumn twilight air smells like dry, crunchy leaves, a scent that is sure to conjure up childhood memories galore.

As my cheeks grow rosy in tonight’s evening chill, I realize that I’ve discovered the magic of autumn that I’ve been missing all along.

Heaven on Earth

I’ve discovered a place to call my own here at the monastery.  It’s a little patch of lawn off to the side of the main driveway; it sits right underneath a tree and catches the best afternoon sunshine.  Between the insanity of travel, schoolwork, and daily life here in France, this is the place where I’ve come to feel the most at peace.  It is my refuge from studying, anxiety, drama, and homesickness, just to name a few.  When stress begins to tug at my heartstrings, I just pack up a big blanket, a good book, and my sunglasses and head out to my spot.  I’ve been lucky over the past few days; the beautiful 70-degrees-F weather has made it a true delight to sit outside and just breathe.

One day, while reading “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” in my spot, I witnessed a beautiful moment in nature.  I had been completely absorbed in my book for several hours when I decided to simply lie back and soak in my surroundings.  Soft evening shadows had slowly replaced the golden beams of sunshine that had warmed the earth.  This is my favorite time of day, the magical moment of twilight.  The air seems to glow with the golden light of the setting sun, and there is a calm hum of energy in the background.  It’s funny how quickly nature will accept your presence if you are still and calm, and do not impose yourself upon it.  Time, as it passed, seemed both relevant and relative to me.  I missed the tail-end of the sunset in, quite literally, the blink of an eye.  I didn’t feel disappointed, but rather filled with wonder at the universe.  How can something so great and powerful as the sun slip quietly behind the horizon without my noticing it?

Wind in my hair and grass between my toes seem to transport me to a higher level of consciousness.  A raven flapped by and I actually heard each wingbeat against the evening air.  I felt this amazing sense of clarity.  That, to me, is heaven.