The most wonderful time of the year

Despite everything going on in our lives, I must admit, at least it's all happening during my favorite time of the year.  The difficulties are making it hard to fully enjoy this time as I'm inclined to do, but I figure it could be worse, it could be in the middle of Summer.

I know, as a good Catholic Christian, my favorite time of the year should be Easter.  Or even Christmas without the shopping malls.  But I confess, it's really autumn.  Why, I can't tell you.  Perhaps because that old rusty clock that was set to start afresh every new school year still chimes somewhere in the back of my mind.  Perhaps it's memories of days gone by, when we came back together with friends, when the crisp air of fall meant sitting in the chill autumn breeze at the Friday nigh games.  Maybe it is memories of bonfires and apple cider, of homecoming parades and Tricks or Treating.  I don't know.  I just know this season has always been my favorite.

There are practical reasons.  As a kid, even though I had to endure the school side of things, I knew that in only a couple of months that Holiday to end all Holidays would be approaching with all its promised glory.  Plus, being a December baby, I knew I got the extra hors d'oeuvres that was a few early presents to whet my appetite. 

But whatever the reason, the remaining memories I cling to from years gone by invariably have steamed windows blocking out a rainy Thanksgiving day, wading through snow on our way to our end of the football season band concert, or running through corn fields in October, with Jack O' Lanterns shining out of windows, secretly trying to find someone's house to decorate.  It's training for Cross Country in the late afternoon by running through the explosion of colors in a park's woods, or walking with my Mom and Dad in a gentle September drizzle through some remote plot of land that Dad was thinking of purchasing, looking for walnuts to take home. 

Those are where most of my memories from childhood linger.  As an adult, with kids making their own memories, I can't help but admit I'm partial to those we've made in September and the following months.  But when you have kids, the memories begin to be special no matter what the season, as long as it's with them. 

So happy autumn.  May yours bring more blessings than this will for us, but may I be proven wrong and have more than a commercially dominated holiday at the end of the year to be thankful for when all is said and done.