This year I notice that my son is getting older – he has become a man, a fully independent adult with a rich and active life. And a part of me can’t help but wonder how that happened. How did all those years of his childhood result in this amazing individual? I notice that my life is filled with possessions, many of which are treasures or mementos of all the journeys I have taken, and all the lives I have lived, but now fill a house. I notice the perennial attention I give to my hobbies like gardening and hiking and books. And in this autumnal pause a part of me wonders – what is it that continues like an unbroken thread in everyone, that thread of their tendencies and personality?
My pursuits have altered little since I was a teenager and that has been a huge surprise to me. Somehow I thought I would continue to find areas of interest, new and strange. Instead my interests have deepened over the years, though running in the tracks set in my youth – mythology, literature, poetry, depth psychology, spirituality, mysticism, art and nature. It is a rich mix of interests to fill a lifetime, certainly, and ones that might seem precocious in a teen.
Perhaps the move to Olympia last spring precipitated many of these fall musings. It might also be the magic of autumn itself. The leaves clear the sky and weaker light seems to draw us indoors. Do you find yourself pausing to watch the leaves or the sky? Spending time in a long, thoughtful walk? Something magical is happening in the world and in my life, too. Things are changing and transforming without anyone’s effort or interference, like a child growing up or the winter solstice approaching. In all those changes I know that something stays the same; it is that thread that continues despite outer appearances. My heart is filled with the mystery and magic of this life.
Elizabeth “Libby” O’Day is Community Spiritual Leader of the Center for Spiritual Living, Olympia. Perspective is coordinated by Interfaith Works in cooperation with The Olympian. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by Interfaith Works or The Olympian.
