Few things move the human spirit like the changing of the seasons. Something about seeing that first spring flower or that first autumn leaf, or that first snowflake in winter, can bring feelings of new beginnings and memories of days gone by.
Many painters, poets, songwriters, and sculptors have based entire works on the changing seasons. Monet tried to paint it, Robert Frost wrote about it, Currier and Ives printed and sold it.
The changing seasons influence us to adjust our clocks, and modify our house decor, and change the style of our clothing.
I have heard more than one person say that if given the choice to live in Missouri or live on the beach, “they would definitely miss the changing of the seasons if they lived where it’s always warm.”
I think the changing seasons are a sort of natural time marker for us. The end of summer and beginning of fall seem to tell us that there is a bigger plan, we are not in control, and that the cycle of everything around us is as it’s meant to be, and we are simply a small part of the bigger picture.
We are entering autumn, one of my favorite times of the year. The symbols are starting to show up all around us. Back to school, football, hoodies. Leaves changing color and falling, pumpkin patches, jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating and shorter days.
Soon we will hear of bonfires, roasting marshmallows, and the end of the growing season and harvest time. The Japanese Maple will turn reddish purple, the hickory a rich golden yellow, and the sugar maple will turn a blazing red.
Our back fence, which is lined with sassafras trees, will go from a deep orange to scarlet, and then purple and yellow. Several sweetgum trees on our church playground will soon treat us with yellow, purple and red displays.
In fact, people come from all over the United States to see our Missouri and Arkansas fall colors. The changing seasons change the local economy in some areas.
