Autumn can be a mysterious time of year. The crisp air, the vibrant colors, and the long evenings are somehow able to announce change in a way that is attractive and compelling to us human beings. While the kind of change that takes place during autumn is gradual and intentional, the beauty of the season lies more in her vulnerability. Indeed, she does not try to hide the fact that she is immersed in death. With leaves falling, trees withering, darkness descending, and a chill creeping into bone and marrow – a devastating scene! – she shows us, in total transparency, what it is like to like to change, and at some level we rejoice in something that is undeniably and breathtakingly real. The next time, therefore, we find ourselves in an autumn mood, let’s skip the pumpkin lattes and haunted houses. Let’s instead channel Sister Autumn’s bold spirit and run headlong into the changes that await us on our life’s journey. The thin layer of grief that used to trip us up and prevent us from growing will be transformed into gratitude as we, together, fall into the constant and glorious mystery of it all. Ave Crux, Spes Unica.
