Introduction
| There is a harmony In autumn, and a lustre in its sky, Which through the summer is not heard or seen, As if it could not be, as if it had not been! —Percy Bysshe Shelley |
Autumn is a gloriously fleeting season, as Shelley points out in the above excerpt from Hymn to Intellectual Beauty. Through the fall, we anticipate the joys of winter: fireplaces with roaring fires, holiday gatherings, shopping for some, and the Superbowl for others. Through the winter, we anxiously await the spring and her glories; through the spring, we yearn for summer’s long days and relaxed energy. Seldom do we hear people saying, “I can’t wait for autumn!” Usually it’s closer to, “I can’t wait for football season.” Perhaps it really is not a stretch to call autumn the “lost” season.
Maybe fall is Mother Nature’s biggest trick on us mortals. We tend to think of spring as the season of nature’s bounty and gifts, but much like humans’ superficial beauty that fades with time, so does spring’s beauty: gentle breezes give way to hurricanes; perfumed flowers wither and decay; and fun in the sunny days becomes scorching afternoons that never end.
Autumn, on the other hand, is overgenerous, yet understated, with her gifts. The fall harvest brings fruits and vegetables that sustain and feed us through the coming months. Summer’s cloudy nights clear and the stars shine bright in the dark night sky. Trees that have sunbathed all summer don a Technicolor cloak before shedding their leaves, giving kids everywhere the chance to create lifelong memories of diving into piles of freshly raked leaves on a Saturday afternoon. The heat lifts, the humidity drops, and crisp Canadian air begins to cool the evenings—even in the deep South. Summer’s laxity and freedom give way to a necessary, almost welcomed, mental alertness and decorum just in time to pull us back from the brink of laziness or decadence.
It is difficult to imagine that a season could be so maligned by our culture. How many of us moaned, “I don’t want to go back to school!”—only to go back and enjoy sports, dances, friends, and even classes. Some folks bemoan the shortened days, but amazing sunsets and harvest moons make up for the loss. Others complain about the chilly nights, yet the sky is more golden and the air feels cleaner. Some wish that summer could never end; yet, end it must.
The fall issue of the Holistic Times finds us discovering new ways to celebrate another season of our 25th anniversary by taking you on a tour of our work community. Also inside this issue is an interview with oils and fats guru Udo Erasmus, annual conference updates, and all the usual good news we’re eager to share with you.
Step outside and flood your senses with the momentary magic that is autumn. Enjoy its sensual delights and quickening energy. Perhaps you, too, shall catch a glimpse of Shelley’s harmonious season.
Tara N. Brown,
Editor
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