I’m Sorry, but I Hate Fall
Autumn…Did You Know It’s a Symbol of Death?
I’ve always hated Fall. Autumn. The changing of leaf colors. The cold breeze. The way the sunlight seems to cast down upon us differently. Longer hours of darkness. Wet rain. Back to school. Hardly anything interesting on the church calendar. The stupid “holiday” of Halloween. The death of my best friend Roberto (+11/19/2008). Sweaters, long pants. Unpredictable weather: mornings cold, afternoons hot. Animals going away. Heating bills increasing. Seemingly more tired.
Fall in 2012 was when I had to come to terms with the destruction of my first marriage. Fall of 2013 was when I had to deal with the stresses of a new relationship and a new baby, and the reactions of everyone who knew me. Seasonal affective disorder, maybe? Who knows. But I hate the Fall.
I actually prefer the Winter, because even though everything by wintertime is dead, you get snow which is pretty, and the holiday season (yes, literalists, I realize that Fall ends on December 20th), visits with family, and Winter vacation to spend time with your kids…
Bishop Christodoulos came to visit us in Raleigh in the Fall of 2007, along with Fr. Savvas Anastasiou and Fr. Lawrence Girard (may he rest in peace), and he preached a sermon which solidified my hatred of the Fall, because of precisely how it reflects the Fall of Man (Fall Reflects the Fall). The changes of the leaf colors are symbolic of death. This is not what God intended for man.
I don’t mean to depress anyone, but amongst the crowd of people talking about how pretty the leaf changes are and how nice it is that Starbucks has brought back the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, I will say what I know a segment of the population feels, and I will affirm that it is okay to feel this way.
But rest assured, just as Adam brought death upon mankind, soon we will experience the Spring Resurrection and the Summer of blessedness, courtesy of Our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Bless Anastasios,
I enjoy your posts!
I have to say that I am still traumatized by Labor Day, which for me as a child was the harbinger or doom – the new school year!
It was truly an amazing thing for me the year I took the semester off as I transferred to a new school and went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
My appreciation for the season changed and I realized how refreshing it was. Being in the northeast, Autumn is a special time.
You touched on some very significant events in your life that occurred during this time. Wounds which will take a lifetime to heal. My wife and I celebrate our anniversary at the end of October and I have found solace in this as it has become a “special holiday” for us and a nice way to chase away the coming winter-blues. My son also was born in late September, so it is pretty exciting around here! The enthusiasm and excitement of a child is so contagious!
One thing I I have pondered recently is the fact that our Liturgical year begins and ends with Feasts to our Lady, the Theotokos. It is as if the year is dedicated to her! One of our own to shine the way for us through her example. Tomorrow we celebrate the Exaltation of the precious Cross! A stark reminder of the Crosses we will come to bear in the new year!
Keep your dear memories and may this time of year grow more joyous for you through our Lord’s Grace and in His time.
In Christ,
Fr. Dcn. alexander
The Lord Blesses!
Thank you, Father Alexander!
Hi Mr. Anastasios,
It’s not directly related (other than the Bishop visiting in 2007) but is the Raleigh mission even active at all now? The web site is a blank WordPress template.
St. Mark the Evangelist Orthodox Mission was closed in October 2012. However, I come to Raleigh roughly ever other weekend to be with my daughter Sophia, and we often meet with a couple who is Old Calendarist and who lives in the area. There is another couple who is active in the GOC who lives in the area, and we meet for typica prayers. I am working on putting the website back up, and praying for the establishment of a new mission. Do you live in the area?
I have always found Fall to be a rather pleasant time of reflection and contemplation. Not so much of death, but of sleep, waiting for the awakening of Spring. People seem to be much more sensible in the Autumn, and there are less of them.
For the Feasts there is the Nativity of the Mother of God (our Cathedral Altar Feast), the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The 3rd Sunday of the Holy Fathers falls in October, as does the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos, and the beginning ramp up of Advent-tide before the beginning of Winter Feasts of Christmas and Epiphany-tide.
To each his own 🙂 I do enjoy the feasts that exist during this period, but it’s not an “onslaught” like during Lent/Pascha or the Dormition Fast. Those were my referents for the comment.
Enjoy fall dangit
LOL
How could anyone hate Fall? It’s the most beautiful time of the year. My mom grew-up in Tennessee, with all the beautiful leaves, and Fall was her favorite season.
Well, I think I answered why pretty clearly in my post. To each his own, though.