the year's last, loveliest smile

Kimba over at A Soft Place to Land is having a Fall party today. I was planning to post some of my fall decor, but I'll be honest...its pretty lame. I'm thankful to her for forcing me to stop and think, though.

The seasons to me are God's gracious reminder of time passing swiftly by. I need to be reminded of that sometimes, as it is easy to forget wonder, to ignore beauty and to strangle the silence with the loud. Somehow, the sharp, confident coolness of the autumn air brings clarity of thought and heart. Clearing out the heavy, humid drudgery of September, autumn ushers in change.
The trees exchange their green summer shawls for more colorful fanfare, a reminder that even the deepest roots don't guarantee stability. Change must come. There is a time for everything. A new school year. A new President. Fresh episodes of The Office and Pushing Daisies. New. Different. Change.
I don't want to be pushed along by time, flailing and trying to keep up. I want to move with the rhythm of it, to respond to my Creator, to breathe in this cool, crisp air. I want to take time to notice the deep and the detail while living in the obvious and the practical.
According to writer William Cullen Bryant, "Autumn is the year's last, loveliest smile." And so I reflect along with creation, as it bids a golden farewell to the year that has passed. A lovely smile indeed.