Ready for a Fall Challenge? Let's Do This Together
Autumn flowers. What kind of late-blooming beauties do we want to be?
šš Iām making peace with fall, yāall.
But first, Iāve missed you, friends. In August I pressed pause on these weekly letters to finish my new book proposal and host visits from family and friends.
And then suddenly, whoop! Labor Dayāthe unofficial end of summerāarrived as early as it possibly could this year, like a party guest who showed up while I was still prepping dinner.
True confession, hand over heartāfallās not my favorite time of year. Autumnās shorter days and colder nights cue up Melancholy Maggie, and itās not a pretty tuneāmore off-key kazoo than catchy chorus.
Marking ¾ time in the year feels like music in a minor key, no matter how beautiful the composition. Maybe itās because for many years I lived with SADāSeasonal Affective Disorderāwhich dissipated with sunshine and spring.
Yet so many of you have told me why you love this season, and I get it.
Cooler weather.
Brighter colors.
Pumpkin spice everything!
In many parts of the country, Autumn struts her stuff on a red carpet of leaves as if itās the biggest runway in the world. Sheās gorgeous, I admit. I want to get her autograph. And why not? Sheās wearing a Designer label.
Iāve been asking a lot of questions of Autumnās Maker, and mine. Am I averse to the last quarter of the year because in it, I see myself? Not the showiness, no, but the sense of the spring and summer of life long gone, and winter fast approaching?
When I turned 65, I read Joan Chittisterās reflective work The Gift of Years, and at 72 Iām journeying through its pages once again. Last week, these particular words stopped me, arresting my attention as if they were a constable on patrol for my soul.
āThe truth is that this new stage of life liberates in a way no other stage of growth can possibly do. All the striving is over now. We donāt have to prove ourselves anymore. . .
The only thing required of us now is the blooming of the self. Like autumn flowers, rich in color, deep in tone, sturdy in the wind, our lives not only have new color, they bring with them the kind of interior depth a fast-moving world so desperately needs.ā
Autumn flowers. What kind of late-blooming beauties do we want to be?
Bright yellow mums, sunny and cheerful.
Delicate pansies with their pensive faces, surprisingly sturdy.
Stately goldenrod, lovely but problematic. Best to keep at a distance.
Many of you share my season of life. Seniors over 65 are the fastest-growing population group in the United States. As we ripen, will we be sour or sweet? Open to learning, or closed to new ideas? Still moving or sitting in place? There are many older people who refuse to adjust, who in essence wither on the vine years before their time. As Chittister notes, āTheir souls spoil in their shells.ā
What kind of fragrance will become our signature scent as we embrace the blessing of advanced years?
I have a challenge for us, friends! In the next 12 weeksāstarting today and concluding the week of Thanksgivingāletās seize as much joy as we can and scatter it into the lives of others. Joy comes in many shades, and Iād love to know how you plan to paint your world this fall.
š Letās seize the colors of joy together. Weāll catch them mid-air, like confetti that refuses to fall, and weāll share them with each other.
ā”ļø Are you with me? A simple, āIām in!ā comment will spur me on. (And if you click on the little heart emoji, it will help others find us, too.)
š£ Donāt forget to watch for our September āFirst Fridayā book giveaway later this week. This monthly Shelf Indulgence is my way of sharing favorite reads with you.
So much love,
Maggie




I'm in! A wonderful encouragement!
I'm in. Fall has always been a season of renewal for me. Since I went from going to school as a student to going as a teacher, I've enjoyed the people, the schedule, and the cooler temps. No longer in the public school, I teach adult ladies Sunday school and women inmates at the local jail year-round. Since these classes only meet weekly, I have a lighter schedule. But I still love my students!