The Four Seasons

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."--Stanley Horowitz

Yesterday one of my clients said good-bye; he's moving to Florida. I'm sad to see him go. He admitted that he really didn't want to go, that he actually doesn't like it there, but that's where his family is and his mom and dad have been getting on in years so he wants to spend as much time as he can with them. He talked about all the big changes it will be for him; namely, the usual such as finding a job, a social support system. He added that New York has nothing really to offer him anymore, but he IS going to miss the chance at having a white Christmas.
 

I know exactly what he meant. Having grown up in an area that had the four seasons, I couldn't imagine having it any other way. It has to be cool and crisp on Halloween and cold and hopefully snowy at Christmas. Of course, had I grown up someplace where it was always warm, it would probably be different, and amazingly, it takes a long time to adjust.  Hubby was born in the Dominican Republic, and he has never really been able to adjust to the cold weather. He bundles up to the point where he makes ME sweat just looking at him.

Each season is special in its own way. Winter with its blanket of glistening white snow, is frosty mornings, fluffy slippers, hats and scarfs, homemade soup, and steamy mugs of hot chocolate topped with miniature marshmallows. Then, in what seems a link of the eyes, spring enters the picture melting away the snow bringing new life to the landscape with its promises rebirth and a  and warmth. The rain falls and the flowers bloom. Delicate buds peak out from the tree branches, and once again the birds begin to sing.  Then comes summer, the warmest season of the year with its longer days and hot, hazy sun, the scent of freshly cut grass, vacation time. Actually, as much as I long for it, once we are in the throes of all the heat and humidity, I find myself ready to move on to my favorite time of year--Autumn.

What more can you ask for in a season. You first begin to notice it toward the end of August, the way the light begins to change and the days start to shorten, and even though the heat of summer refuses to let go, at night you can begin to feel the chill of in the air. When September rolls around, the days are shorter still  and the color of the leaves begins to change. Some days, you can even feel a chill in the air, but most of the time, the days are still warm, the sky  a brilliant blue, and the nights are just perfect for opening the windows and letting the fresh air come in...perfect sleeping weather. 

October brings with it even cooler days and nights; the smell of the air is crisp and every now and then, you may get a taste of winter in the winds. Bright hues of orange and yellow, and fiery red are everywhere as the leaves continue change fall to the ground. As a child, I loved nothing more than running and jumping into a huge pile of leave that my grandfather had just raked up.

November can be cold, wet, and gray, or it can be a continuation of October. Winds blow and change is in the air.This is the season of the Yoruba Goddess, Oya, who represents the winds of change, and because she brings change, she is associated with the season of autumn.  She brings endings to things which must transform in order to grow, but she also helps us to realize that, like Autumn, change need not be something to dread; instead we should view just another step on our journey of personal growth.

"Spring comes with flowers, autumn with the moon, summer with the breeze, winter with snow. When idle concerns don't fill your thoughts,
that's your best season."
- Wu Men -