Even though it’s been many years since I finished school, September still feels like the start of a new year to me. The freshening of the air, the shift of colours, the crackle of fallen leaves… all these things spark a sense of anticipation, excitement and new possibilities.
Is it a contradiction to feel a sense of new beginning at a time when crops are finishing, leaves are dying and much of nature is readying to sleep away the winter? Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated in the fall (Sept 12-14 this year). In the Jewish calendar Rosh Hashanah begins the Days of Awe, a time of introspection and repentence leading up to Yom Kippur — a time of looking back over past mistakes and planning changes to make in the new year. Maybe there’s more reason than the start of a new school year for celebrating the “New Yearness” of fall.
Here’s a haiku my friend Jean-Pierre wrote as his summer holiday in Canada came to a close last week:
geese are migrating
chased by autumn’s cold harvest
flying to Japan
And here’s one his friend Dave added:
geese fly in circles
no destination planned
a little like me
Where does September find you headed? For me, it’s getting ready to launch my new book…
September 28, 2007 at 12:20 am |
With all the leaves falling and the temperature dropping it feels as though nature is clearing things out, which is a new beginning. So no its not a contradiction! Good luck launching your new book!