It's autumn. The earth turns away from the sun, and the days shorten. Winter lurks, shivering and lonely, just around the corner. Trees abandon their leaves, turning inward, bracing themselves. The plants we so carefully cultivated throughout the summer shrivel with each night's lowering temperatures. We drain the fountain, cover the lawn furniture, mulch the garden. It's ending and we feel it; the darkness creeps closer. We close the doors and windows, light candles, draw together around the fire, literally or figuratively.

It's ending, and it's a reminder to each of us that we are ending too, no matter our current age or health. We are mortal. One day, distressingly soon, we too will shrivel, release life, turn inward and be gone.

To acknowledge this is a good thing. Realizing that we don't have unlimited time makes us grateful for the time we do have and for those with whom we share it. Living in these moments–this one! this next one!–makes life all the richer now.

This Halloween, celebrate your mortality! Raise a glass to the certainty…but not the finality…of death!

Text and image © 2010 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.