Soul Harvesting - Autumn
Going beneath the surface of things feeds my soul. As harvest season descends in the Northern Hemisphere, I’m getting ready to harvest the soul nourishment of being real.
Autumn is a time for deepening into authenticity. Nature reminds us of this through the life cycle of trees. As the days shorten and cool, leaves receive less sunlight. The cholorphyll that gives leaves their summer green starts to break down, revealing the leaves’ true color. We see the beauty beneath the surface, the beauty that was there all along. It’s spectacular to see the splashes of orange, yellow, red and brown against the blue sky, and darker evergreens. The crisp aroma of dried leaves in the cool air enliven my senses. It’s a gift I treasure as it comes each year.
Just like the leaves show green in Summer, we humans have times in our lives when everything is “fine,” we have Summers in our lives. I notice people often put on a mask of “fine” no matter what season they find themselves in. This is understandable. We don’t want to overwhelm our local grocery clerk with tales of our deepest sorrows, or most joyful moments, unless, perhaps they are a close personal friend or relation.
But Autumn comes for all of us. At times, the things that, like the sun, offer us warmth, light and optimism are hard to find, or they go away. Our “cholorphyll” mask starts to break down. When life brings us loss, disappointment, or unwanted experience, we can’t hold on to the masks of “fine” as easily. Or, when something wonderful happens, we might hold ourselves back from celebrating it too boldly. We hold ourselves back from being too much, too big, too . . . REAL, for others comfort. For many of us, the masks feel comfortable, safe.
While I’m all for good manners and choosing when and where to take my mask off, I’m tired of pretending all the time. It takes so much energy. I welcome the time I am blessed to spend with those in my community who are willing to walk through life Autumns together. To me, these people are beautiful beyond compare, these treasured ones who are willing to show their true beauty beneath the surface. Who’s with me?