A Time Of Balance

If you've read my blog for a while, or even if you are new and have done some back reading, you will know that as much as I LOVE summer with all it's long days and warm weather, fall is my favorite season. I love fall. I love the cooler mornings, the crisp, dry air, the colors of fall, on the leaves and in my wardrobe (it shouldn't surprise you that I am a fall and look best in it's colors), the way wood smoke smells in the air, pots of soup simmering for dinner, fresh bread., and warm cozy sweaters. I could go on and on, but I will stop.

I'm always a little curious how they celebrated the start of the season's back in the days of old, and I love Celtic history, so I Googled Autumn Equinox Rituals, and learned a few things. First, the Fall Equinox falls on the day when the amount of sunlight is equal to the amount of darkness, and right at the peak of the harvest season.  Therefore, the rituals around it are all about balance and giving thanks. Who can't get behind that?

Working in Education, fall is always the "start of the year". It's hard to work around a year that starts in January, when you are midway through the school year by then. In my mind, fall is the beginning. We  get back together after a summer apart, with new schedules and new students. My own kids start a new grade and inevitably new activities. Finding balance is something I could use some work on. There's always house stuff, and kid stuff, and chores and a million things that need doing. I'm trying (though it's been hard because I've been sick) to make sure that I spend some time doing me things. Reading, knitting, crafting, spending time with The Boy™, etc.  It's not easy, and I'm trying to get out of the mindset of feeling guilty about taking "me time" when there's a million things that need doing. It's a process, and one I hope to do better at this year.

My goal, over the next few weeks, as the days begin to get shorter, is to get into some routines that will make the long, dark days of winter easier to bear. I am sure I have spoken of this goal every year since I started blogging, and most years I've failed miserably because I haven't made it a priority.  The last few winter have been particularly hard, and this year I'm really committed to making it work. So bring on the cooler air, and get out the cozy sweaters. I'm ready for some balance.