On the first day of fall, my 6 yr old asked me, "So mommy, now that it is fall are all the leaves on the trees going to fall off?"  This question began our discussion of what fall is compared to the other seasons of the year.  We live by the coast, which means our fall is more mild compared to somewhere in the mountains or in another part of the country.  So we talked about how we know it is fall here, for it is noticeable.  The wind changes, the mornings are darker, there is a certain smell in the air, and yes, the leaves do begin to fall.  And it reminded me of a question he asked when he was far younger; does it hurt the trees when their leaves fall?

Nature operates in a far different way than us humans.  In nature there is a continual flow of change, it has its own rhythm, its own cycle.  Nature doesn't protest, it doesn't complain, it simply surrenders - just the like the tree surrendering its leaves.
It simply lets go.
It surrenders into darker days, life slowing - resting. 
And if you notice, each season carries its own energy, its own time of being. 

As humans we have our intellect, our thoughts that drive us into our daily being.  Our intellect can be a wonderful use for discernment and challenging ourselves, but sometimes we pay too much attention to the intellect and not enough to our own body and rhythm. 
Because it is fall, this does not mean we need to prepare to hibernate like a bear.  But fall does inherently give us quieter moments of the day that we can utilize for reflection.  Allowing ourselves to pause in those moments and turn inward.  To take that moment to breathe, and let our internal flow become more in sync with the external flow; to let go.  For too much resistance brings agitation and stress and we are less productive in those states anyhow.

As I enter into my 3rd trimester, it is ever more noticeable that these last few months are the transition into the next phase of motherhood; the active preparation for the birth of our child.  But there is also space to reflect on my path of motherhood so far and to be fully present in noticing where I need to ground myself to stay in sync.

Let us not be hurried all the time.  Let yourself slow down in these darker, quieter moments of the day.  Let this space ease you not just transitioning into fall, but to continually ease you into all of the transitions in your life.

With love and light,
Laura McKinnon