Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Wheel Turns

Has it really been almost 2 months since I last posted?  Shame on me!

In the last two weeks, my region of the United States has been experiencing some pretty funky phenomenon.  First, we had an earthquake.  Who woulda thought that the east coast could have earthquakes?  Well they do, but they are usually so small that nobody notices them.  This one, however was a 5.9.  It was enough to scare the bejeezus out of the locals and prompt 'its God's retribution' rhetoric from certain political figures.  That really bothers me!  Michelle Bachmann said that the earthquake and later the hurricane were God's way of punishing America for its tolerance of a black president and its liberal ways.  Really?  First, you know the mind of God?  Yeah right.  Second, you are saying that God decided to kill innocent people to get your political message across?  Yikes! 

Now, about that hurricane.  Irene made three landfalls along the east coast.  It was a monster of a storm, spanning 500 miles across at its fullest, and striking my home city of Lancaster, Pa which is a full hour and a half west of the coast.  It wasn't too much damage, just some wind, rain, and 4 hours without electricity.  But I learned long ago how to live without electricity.  Its not hard, it just takes a special kind of discipline that few in this capitalist country of ours lack.  And you do know what I did?  ...

I thanked the hurricane.

Yes, you heard that right, I gave thanks for the hurricane.  Not for the people who lost their lives or the properties that were destroyed.  I thanked the hurricane for the simple miracle of fresh air.  It washed away the pollution in the air and dropped our temperatures back to a seasonal level.  The air smelled so fresh the day after the hurricane, the streets were clean of all trash, and our temperatures were so comfortable, we have since retired our air conditioners and now sleep with the windows open.  That to me is a simple miracle.  And its in those little miracles that I find my faith.  The title of this post is The Wheel Turns.  The Great Wheel of the Year is turning once again and thanks to the cooler temperatures, I can remember that the wheel turns and will always turn.

Fall is upon us, and it brings with it all of the wonderful things I love so much about this crisp time of year.  Apple picking, pumpkins, leaves, cool air, cinnamon, baking, need I go on?  Its an amazing time of year!  And the stores now carry all of the things I need to make my house inviting and smelly.  Did I say smelly?  Haha!  I meant smelly in a good way, like pumpkin-scented potpourri and freshly made applesauce and apple butter.  Yes, this is my favorite time of year.  I give thanks for it! 

I can begin my preparations for the long months of cold that await.  I can fill my soul with simple joys now so that I can find the strength to endure the hardship of winter.  September is a crafty month for me.  I begin crafting my wreath for the fall months, I begin brainstorming and buying supplies for the homemade Christmas gifts I will make, I will pick apples at the local orchard to prepare yummy treats for my family.  In October, Halloween comes! :D  I love Halloween for many reasons.  I love to dress up and take my children trick or treating and I love to decorate with combwebs and skeletons and spiders.  Then there is the other side of Halloween.  Samhain (sow-en) is the end of the Pagan year.  Its a time when our Lord leaves this world to begin his journey on the other side.  This is marked by the dying of the trees and the colder air.  As He leaves the world, so does the light and warmth.  Its a reminder that all good things must come to an end.  But never fear!  He will be reborn at Yule and light and warmth will return to the world.  Yule was once widely celebrated and today bears a modern name, but it celebrates the exact same thing, the rebirth of Light and Warmth in the world.  Today, it is called Christmas.

So to you, I give my blessings and love and I hope you have as much fun this time of year as I do!

Happy crafting!