Fall Reflections
The mid-October snow flurries of the last few days, combined with the stunning display of change in color in the local foliage, are a reminder that yet again the rich New England fall has arrived. Whichever way we turn, there is an amazing array of beautiful colors and the natural landscapes that surround our towns look like master pieces of art.
As the fall weather proceeds unabated, in just a few short weeks many trees will be desolate of their leaves and the landscape will seem barren and lifeless. In a sense, it may appear that the world around us is bereft of life, as the frigid and barren countryside all around.
Yet, what meets the eye is not always what is truly happening. For in reality, beneath the superficial appearances, beneath the snow and ice, these seemingly lifeless trees continue to live and thrive. As we move from fall thru winter, “lifeless” trees revitalize, waiting for the cold and short days to pass so that they can once again flourish and grow tall, flower and bring forth their fruits. It is this state of apparent lifelessness and the cold of the winter that enables these trees reenergize and regenerate with the ability to grow even further and thrive once again in the coming season.
A similar process is reflected in our lives. We have our moments when we seem to be springing forward, we have our moments when the sun is shining, and we have our moments of “fall” and “winter” when it appears that life is dying and that life seems to have ceased.
In fact, the fall season is one more phenomenal reminder which G-d put into creation to teach us to value and treasure each moment for its own unique opportunities. While fall may not be a time when leaves are growing and flowers are blossoming, nevertheless the unseen reenergizing of the tree is the catalyst for the growth that will occur when things warm up.
In a certain sense the last year or two represent a time when many leaves have fallen off the tree, and many trees look barren and desolate. Many people who are close to our hearts or who live in our communities have lost their jobs and are going through difficult times. So many families and businesses are under a variety of pressures and the street sentiment can be tough and discouraging.
Yet it is important to realize that while these may be tough times, where our growth options are limited, it can be used as time to rejuvenate ourselves in other areas of our lives by refocusing on our family values, by spending more quality time with our loved ones, by seeking more ways to help our friends and neighbors, and to use this time as a time of revitalization of our innermost personal aspects of our lives.
Recently, someone who lost a fortune in the financial turbulence of the last year was describing to me the hardships that he had been going through during these difficult moments. He told me that the support and friendship that he has seen from friends and family during these difficult months have made him realize what richness truly is, and how lucky he is to be part of such a circle of friends and family.
With G-d’s help the next fiscal season is just around the corner and the economic situation will begin to improve and grow. At the same as we begin to rise up once again we will emerge as a “richer society” with stronger individuals, stronger families, and stronger communities through the internal and community rejuvenation processes that we focus on during this “fall” and “winter”.