If I were a Month, I’d be September

I knew it was fall, the Stellar Jays are back. That makes me happy because the Jays are so entertaining at the bird feeder on my sundeck.

But today is officially the first day of fall. The autumnal equinox –  equal day, equal night. Even though Autumn is my most favourite time of the year, I realize that from this day on, the darkness of night will begin to triumph over the light of day. The days are getting shorter, resistance is futile.

To me, that is probably the only negative aspect of Autumn.

Autumn is crisp –  crisp morning air, crunchy crisp leaves, the crisp white pages of school books, apple crisp. But then Autumn morphs into the comfy, cozy of flannel sheets, the simmering aroma of homemade soup, spiced pumpkin pie, and crackling fires in the woodstove. It is a very tactile season.

Recently, while deciding what topic I would write about on this the first day of fall, it occurred to me that now that I am fifty, and considered middle aged, I am actually starting the Autumn of my life.

Giving that epiphany deeper consideration, I began to ponder the question, if my life at this point was represented by a month, what month would I be?  I decided that September would be the month I could most identify with. See if you agree.

In September, the leaves start to turn colour from green to gold. At Fifty, my hair is starting to turn colour too, except, unfortunately the colour is silver not gold.

In September the fruit is fully ripe, ready to be picked. At fifty, I’d say my body is fully ripe, except maybe the fruit is hanging a little lower on the branches than it use too.

September’s weather can be sweltering hot one minute and cool the next. Any women who has experienced a hot flash can relate with that.

Summer’s clear blue skies give way to a September haze. Without my glasses that is what my fifty year old eyes would see everyday all year round.

We all know that in September the days start to get shorter. Well guess what, so am I!

The harvest moon of September is a big, plump, round orb. At fifty, If I bend over, you will see a ………. do I really need to say it?

As for those Stellar Jays that have just arrived from their summer stomping grounds to the north, I identify with them too. Stellar Jays are bossy and aren’t afraid to let you know when they have arrived. They love to gossip – just listen to a flock of Jays cawing back and forth as they perch among the trees, and they love good food, always showing up when the peanuts and premium seed is in the feeder.

At fifty, I find I’ve got attitude too, I’m not afraid to voice my opinion and while I’ve always enjoyed eating (were do you think that big, plump, round orb came from?), I find that my mature tastes buds appreciate, more than ever, a really well cooked meal.

So given all the similarities between me at fifty and September, the first month of Autumn, how could it not be the month for me. I think I will enjoy the last week of the month by really savouring the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this seasoned time in my life.

What month would represent your life right now?