Rythyms

I’ve been thinking a lot about change lately. I usually am really good with change and love taking on new ideas. The change I’ve been pondering is a little different this time. It’s more about the seasons and how they affect our moods, rhythms and ideas.

Summer is winding down

I received an email from a friend of mine yesterday where the opening line was, “Hope summer went well and was fun and everyone is back to their regularly scheduled routine!!” Summer is about being laid back, having fun, not being on a schedule and so on. It is a time to unwind and be carefree.

During the summer, I never worry about schedules and routines. I just want my family to totally decompress. I never had to pack a lunch box for anything and honestly, that felt great! Towards the end of any school year, I’m always ready to stop packing lunches and having to worry about time schedules and all that.

Fall allows us the opportunity to start going within

The beginning of a school year represents the time of year where we start thinking about all we want to do in the next few months. A routine has been established for us and now we just need to figure out what to do with all the time. Think about school zones, they force the driver to slow down and pay attention to his surroundings.

Fall is right around the corner, the weather is getting somewhat cooler, garden vegetables are starting to wind down and I’m canning like crazy. There is such significance to canning zucchini, tomato sauce and peppers. It’s more than just saving some veggies for the winter, rather I feel it’s a time to preserve what we have and save it for later.

This is the time to begin the process of going within so that we can understand what it is we’d like to do. My friend’s email was about getting revved up on your yoga practice again. It may be the time to start that diet and exercise routine you’ve been putting off because summer is just so much fun and you don’t want to be bothered with it. It may be the time to write that book you’ve wanted to write. It may be the time to really get serious about finding that job and the list goes on.

Taking care of the light

We have a festival at the Waldorf School that my kids go to known as the Lantern Walk. The Lantern Walk takes place in November as the weather is getting colder and the days shorter. The kids create their own lanterns that are always so amazingly beautiful. We all gather at the school right when it’s getting dark to share a potluck meal together. Amazing soups, breads, apple cider and cookies make for an amazing feast. Then we go out with our children and the lanterns to walk around the neighborhood in silence. We end up at a local park where the kids sing songs in hushed voices.

I love this evening more than any other. I probably don’t know the true meaning of this night but for me, it represents an evening of being in silence and going within. It represents that light in the lantern being the light within us. That little light is enough to keep us going throughout the dark, cold winter. I love the significance of the light within. We all have that light within and tending to it is a must.

What am I going to get myself into?

At this point, I’m starting the process of going within. I am realizing what I’d like to sign up for as volunteer activities at school, what exercise program I’d like to take on and how to go about expanding my business. I like to do a check of how I’m performing as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I love this time of year. I’m looking forward to the leaves changing color and how that will affect what I ponder next.

Your thoughts ... I'd love to hear them

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post. You may leave a comment below, email me to mary@marysalfi.com or find me on Facebook by becoming a fan of marysalfi.com

Off to help with the Sally Foster fundraiser at school. Have I mentioned that I love wrapping paper!

Mary