There was a time in my childhood family's faith journey that we were pagans, celebrating the sabbats and lunar cycles. As I've moved along my own faith path, I don't feel any need to anthropomorphize or give mystic explanations for nature (no offense to neopagans - this is just a description of my faith journey - I used to do those things and now I don't feel the need to do so). However, I'm still a fan of paying attention to the wheel of the year, to honoring the passage of time and the natural cycles, and to making an effort to feel connected to nature rather than apart from it.
So, happy fall equinox, happy first day of Fall, happy Mabon! Last weekend the kids and I marked the change in seasons in two ways that I really loved. First, we went to a cider making party at the home of some church members. We gathered apples from their mini-orchard, and then pressed them into cider. Carbon was also allowed to pick grapes from their vines and climb the apple trees - it was a great afternoon. Standing around with members of our church community, processing apples, just felt perfect. Community, slow food, and connection to nature - a winning combination!
The other activity this weekend was to plant fall flower bulbs in my flower garden. Bulbs are such a miraculous thing, and I see them as a physical expression of faith and hope. What else but faith and hope could motivate us to plant now, as we are facing the long grey winter? Tenderly patting the bulb into the ground, I picture how it will be invisibly growing and preparing for spring, and how it will seem to suddenly "spring forth" (pun intended) and herald the end of winter.
Blessed Be this Fall.
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