Fall has always been my favorite season. This will be my first year, though, to witness the glory of the autumnal shift in the great state of Maine. It is already abundantly clear to me how elevated this experience is going to be. Lower temperatures, the stunning progression of color as the leaves change, and the waning hours of daylight all signal that something magical is afoot and we should pay attention.

Fall offers more than a lesson in the cycles of nature, however. It also contains an invitation to absorb some ancient spiritual wisdom. One of the core principles of Unitarian Universalism is our covenant “to affirm and respect the interdependent web of all life, of which we are a part.” Our source of religious wisdom includes the “spiritual teachings of earth centered religions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.” So, for us the dramatic shift to fall beckons to us to slow down, notice, reflect and engage.

It is also the time for our Jewish siblings when the high holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are drawing near. The former ritualizes the beginning of a new year of opportunity to do justice, love kindness, and live with humility with the sacred. The latter recognizes that new beginnings are rarely effortless, and part of what we must do to maintain and strengthen our delicate interdependence is face the times when we haven’t gotten things right. A process of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation can open new pathways for us to traverse together as we keep moving towards our common good.

I know that I’ll soon begin to see piles of leaves take shape in the yards of my neighbors. I’m eager to watch the children jumping into those neat piles, scattering them hither and yon only to pile them up again. In a way, it strikes me that this is the motion of a good life. We are fully present. We are attentive to what’s going on around us. We pay attention and give intention to our relationships with the earth and one another. We do our part. We catch what falls and tidy it up, and support others as they strive to do the same. We risk being silly and getting disheveled if it means we can experience joy and delight in the miracle of simply being alive.

I’m eager for my first experience of fall in the majestic state of Maine. But isn’t this always the way it is? The world is unfolding around us, constantly changing, and we are invited to participate in that process as more than merely observers. We’re doing it anyway; we might as well do so mindfully.

What invitations is Fall dropping at your doorstep? What connections will you make between the changes in nature and those of your own inner landscape? Where will you focus your efforts this season? What relationships might you need to notice and nurture?

Our lives and our community will only be enhanced if we accept the invitation Fall offers to engage and deepen our spirituality.

The Rev. Kharma Amos, an ordained minister with 20 years of professional experience in pastoral ministry and denominational leadership, is minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick. 

Comments are not available on this story.