As summer comes to a close and autumn lingers in, we begin to dream of the beauty that fall brings with it. This week, we will look at a poem by Pulitzer Prize winner Mary Oliver titled “Song for Autumn” that I think embodies this feeling. I encourage you to read it aloud.
“Don’t you imagine the leaves dream now
how comfortable it will be to touch
the earth instead of the
nothingness of the air and the endless
freshets of wind? And don’t you think
the trees, especially those with
mossy hollows, are beginning to look for
the birds that will come — six, a dozen — to sleep
inside their bodies? And don’t you hear
the goldenrod whispering goodbye,
the everlasting being crowned with the first
tuffets of snow? The pond
stiffens and the white field over which
the fox runs so quickly brings out
its long blue shadows. The wind wags
its many tails. And in the evening
the piled firewood shifts a little,
longing to be on its way.”
I spend all year waiting for fall — it’s such a beautiful time of year. And in a city like Boston, fall is not just a season but an experience, greeting locals like a familiar face and enthralling new students and visitors with its beauty.
Oliver explores this feeling of completeness in “Song for Autumn,” even though it consists of leaves dying, birds migrating and ponds freezing over. In autumn, the world enters a state of calm and completion.
Humans are connected to nature, so as the world falls into this almost hibernation-like state, we must follow suit. However, the pace of life does not slow down for us the same way it does in nature. This incongruence makes it more challenging to keep up as the world around us begins to slow, yet we must pick up the pace. Midterms and finals are creeping up, and we must work even harder.
For this reason, fall feels like a difficult time for many. But, throughout the season’s difficulties, we must remember the opportunities it brings.
The old is leaving, and the new is bubbling just beneath the surface. Despite upcoming deadlines, it is a wonderful time of year when life doesn’t feel quite as fast-paced. Everything is coming together to create an ending for the year.
And with endings comes nostalgia. The leaves miss the ground, and the trees miss the birds that used to sleep in them during winter. When fall comes, they get these things back.
We, on the other hand, lose things. We lose the sun and warmth as days get shorter and colder. Summer flings come to a close. Generally, life feels less carefree.
In autumn, I tend to feel like time is moving around me, as I remember winter is coming. Time cannot stand still, and yet I am growing.
What things are you reminded of in the fall? While what we lose becomes so clear, it’s important to remember these things will find their way back to us.
In the same way birds fly back to their trees to bundle themselves up, the snow melts and the leaves grow back, many of the things we leave behind also find their way back to us. Love, happiness, success — whatever it is, you will discover it again. And chances are, the next time they come around, they will be more abundant than before.
Nevertheless, I tend to find myself in a state of longing in autumn. I yearn for warmth, family, friends and people who understand me. As the scenery empties itself with the leaves falling, it is easy to find yourself feeling empty as well.
In turn, we try to fill our schedules and become busier during the holiday season. But what is so wrong with sitting with your longing and your emptiness?
It is important to feel all your emotions to better understand them. You cannot allow them to disrupt your daily life, but instead allow them to influence your future, your wants, needs and dreams.
Your body tends to know what you are missing before your mind does. Sitting with your feelings can help with that. Go on walks, feel the world around you changing and allow it to change you as well. Feeling complete does not mean you no longer feel a sense of longing — rather, it means you have found harmony within the feeling.
Autumn brings a season of change, which allows us to reflect on the year we’re living through. It’s a time to let go of things that will stunt us and embrace any change the future may bring. Emptiness is a part of growth, and understanding it will lead you closer to feeling whole.
The hardest part about fall is waiting for spring, when the colors come back and the birds start chirping — and once again, we begin to wait for fall.
