Positive Aging Blog October 2021

Enjoying the Seasons

by Harriet Epstein

The cooler air of autumn has finally arrived, and I, as one, who cannot tolerate summer’s frequent combination of heat and humidity, can now walk around outside, with my mask off, breathe in nature, and wait for the leaves on the trees to turn orange and gold. On the other hand, my friend, Doris, loves the heat, the ocean, and everything about summer, and is not quite as happy.  Winter’s fans enjoy snow sports and occasional quiet times when snowed in; and spring, of course, has another bunch of devotees.  When you think about it, every season brings its own array of  beauty, and also some annoying chores, such as raking leaves; shoveling paths in the snow; sneezing from the pollen floating down from spring’s delicate blossoms; or cleaning off the sand after an afternoon at the beach. I think the best approach is to accentuate the positive, do the best to overlook petty annoyances, and find beauty, pleasure, and purpose in each season.

I believe Susan Freiband wrote a paeon to the seasons and how they mimic life itself, in one of her earlier blogs.  I also tend to associate spring with youth, summer with adulthood, autumn with maturity and the beginning of aging, and winter as older old age, especially as I find myself slowly moving into the winter of my life.  This analogy may cause discomfort to some, but insofar as good health and good luck may allow, older folks should strive to enjoy their later years as much as they enjoyed their previous ages and seasons.

I will probably take on winter later, but for now, let’s focus on Autumn!  Let’s spend this temperate time of year with family and friends, find ways to use our maturity and skills to help make the world a better place, continue to grow in faith and feeling, and relish the wisdom we have accumulated.  A few days ago, a creative friend had what she called a Decades Party, celebrating her entrance to her 60th. decade, her husband’s new 70th decade, and another friend just beginning her 80th  decade.  Everyone had a wonderful time.  Make the most of the present.  It’s all we ever really have.