Autumn is a time of transition and change literally and symbolically. In this podcast series, Autumn-A Time For Reflection, we’ll explore the many meanings of fall from a personal development perspective always seeking confirmation through science mostly. I say mostly because, we do have to leave some room for wonder and the unexplainable. As Science can’t explain everything just yet.. The following poem from Carl Sanburg eloquently highlights the reality of impermanence and the hope for tomorrow captured in the fall season.

Autumn Movement (1918)

I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts.

The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck of the copper sunburned woman, The mother of the year, the taker of seeds.

The northwest wind comes and the yellow is torn full of holes, 

New beautiful things come in the first spit of snow 

On the northwest wind, and the old things go

Not one lasts. 

In the poem, there is sadness over the impermanence of everything, but there is also hopefulness as new beautiful things come. That’s one of the most positive ways of looking at any type of loss. It is making a way for something else. One jarring experience I personally had that folds into this was back in 2020..