Fall

We all hear it . . . we see it in the changes as we walk through our daily routines.  Sometimes it subtle when it lasts for several weeks but here in Alaska things seem to be in a much faster progression and sometimes it just jumps out at you.

I have been thinking a lot about change lately and what brings on those variances that make up our lives.  Do we bring it on ourselves or by chance did we allow it to just happen unaware that in an instant (or over a longer period) things changed.

In my life music has always taken me to many places and in my ipod I have a collection of things that I constantly listen to during my travels or just in my car going between places.  I have certain music that I listen to every morning that hopefully sets the mood of my day and others that I pull up from times gone by that bring back certain memories or events in my life and the music that was associated with those times.

Music is dear to us and we tend to hold onto it while technology has forced us to move from format to format making it simple now to carry around a thousand songs in a small device . . . gone are the reel to reel, 8 track, cassettes and our beloved vinyl records from our youth.  We have moved from a 78 rpm to 33-1/3 rpm to the infinite now with the mp3 and other high tech devices.  Quality has improved but also taken a backseat from the days where we had rooms set up for that audiophile perfect sound system.

I am moving away from my topic so I will bring it back on track but you can see that I love music and its place in our lives.

Oddly, I have been feeling this a lot lately . . . how about you?

Reflections on the water like shadows in my mind
Speak to me of passing days and nights and passing time
The falling leaves are whispering winters on its way
I close my eyes remembering the warmth of yesterday

It seems a shame to see September swallowed by the wind
And more than that its oh so sad to see the summer end
And though the changing colors are a lovely thing to see
If it were mine to make the change Id let it be . . .

But I don’t remember hearing anybody asking me . . .

I first heard this song live in October 1973 at the Municipal Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia.  It was the first concert John Denver played there and over the years he would play 17 times at four different venues.  I never missed a one and for many his music brought meaning and a change of consciousness to our lives. 

Those lyrics (Fall) are part of a larger collection called Season Suite which included, Summer, Fall, Winter, Late Winter Early Spring (When everybody goes to Mexico), and Spring.

I guess like seasons our lives have those same elements with different forces affecting us and through them the changes occur.  Some slowly, some bending or shaping our attitudes, and other times breaking us (events in our lives or to those around us) only to pick ourselves up and grow from the experience of it all.

Is change a good thing or a bad thing?  Probably a little of both but one thing is for sure . . . as long as we are still changing . . . God allows us one more day to experience and serve our fellow man.

  But I don’t remember hearing anybody asking me . . .

Ice