October – the 10th month of the year. I’m relieved for the hint of cooler weather, the shorter length of days, and the quiet calm that precedes the Holiday rush. The month of October prompts a wake-up call in my mind that the end of the year is approaching.
This thought brings anxiety, relief, sadness, a little fear, and gratitude.
In the month of October, I seem to notice the ever so slight change in the afternoon sunlight seeping through the tree branches and flooding through my den and kitchen windows. This subtle change in the filter of light creeps in without notice and quietly changes the atmosphere of my home. The light intensity is softer with a warm glow announcing that autumn is here. The shadows in my home and in my yard are elongated and appear sooner as the sun begins setting earlier. The changes in the weather and light seem to signal to the trees that they, too, must begin their change.
I wonder if God places these subtle changes in the air to remind us that life is ever changing.
It cannot remain the same every day, every month, or every year. Life brings about changes whether we choose them or not. We grow, we learn, we triumph, we fail. These changes can be evident or subtle, good or bad. I constantly remind myself that God is present in these moments of change. Change is hard for me. I’m nostalgic and embrace routine and normalcy.
Sometimes, I fight change because I cherish life in the past. I loved the days when my children were toddlers and life was busy, exhausting, full of noise and laughter. I also loved the days I spent with my parents, holding their hands, hearing their stories, and sharing a meal.
I often pray to God to remind me that although life moves forward and changes daily, I can still cherish memories and moments of the past. The past is in my pulse beating within me as I continue to live in the present. After all, the past shaped me into the person I am today, for which I am grateful.
As the month of October signals changes are forthcoming, trust in the change God has in store for you. Embrace the quiet, subtle moments He places before you, reminding you that life is full of changes. And in all the change, remember that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and will be with you always.
Psalm 102: 24-29
The Grail translation (Liturgy of the Hours)
“He has broken my strength in mid-course; / he has shortened the days of my life. / I say to God: ‘Do not take me away / before my days are complete, / you, whose days last from age to age. / Long ago you founded the earth / and the heavens are the work of your hands. / They will perish but you will remain. / They will all wear out like a garment. / You will change them like clothes that are changed. / But you neither change, nor have an end.”
