It’s that time of year again when we prune the bushes, sweep the leaves off the sidewalks, and then rake them into big piles for the kids to jump in. We pull out our warmer clothes and the heavy blankets, stock up on soup and hot drinks, finish out the summer gardens, and prepare for longer nights and chilly days. The bright colors are everywhere this time of year, and the fall and winter holidays are just around the corner. It seems that nature is preparing to sleep until spring when we see bare branches starting to peek out from the bare spaces where the leaves used to shiver in the spring breeze, but in reality this is time to prepare to grow deeper roots, take the opportunity to heal from the spring and summer storms, and prepare to emerge reenergized and ready for the spring. Fall isn’t just a time to shut down and hibernate for much of nature, but instead to recharge and prepare for new growth despite the blanket of snow or the gray skies.

The same can be said for us as fall approaches, since this is a wonderful opportunity to sit down in our cozy chair as the nights get chillier and reflect on the last year. We can use this time to put down deeper roots of our own with our children and partners, and we can take some time to meditate, read, get the sleep we missed during the busy summer, and actually take time to talk and listen to the people we care about the most. If we have neglected our own needs during the previous seasons we can take warm baths and soak away our stress or read that book that sat on the shelf during baseball season.

This is the perfect time to enjoy family meals, share meal preparation with children, play games together, and bond in ways that aren’t available during the warmer months when families tend to scatter to activities and things get rushed. If we are nursing old hurts and reliving the past without closure or healing, this can be a perfect time to slow down, look inside, and decide what we want to work on before the family gathers for the coming holidays or a new year.

So settle in, take time to really hear what your loved ones are saying to you, take a chance on expressing your needs and fears, and prepare to put down roots of healing and peace this fall. If you are living in the past this is a perfect time to work on childhood or other pain, decide what you want from your life and how you want to your life to be in the spring, take inventory of your health and lifestyle, and prune away dead and negative relationships. Talk to your family, friends, or see a professional if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, read a good book or ten, and remember that you aren’t just waiting for spring this fall, but instead taking time to reflect on what needs to be done to put down healthy roots during the coming winter. After all, a glorious spring is only a few months away, so now is the time to begin preparing!

~ Ruth Anne

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