Thirty-One Things - Rhythm

Rhythm

I love rhythm.  The drumbeat I follow tends to be different than the masses, but it is my rhythm, just the same.

The rhythm is changing as the sun slides below the horizon earlier each evening and peeks back up later each morning.  It is slowly drifting into cooler temperatures and our fall vacation is less than a week away.  This is the rhythm of September as October begins to knock at the door.

I rely on the predictable rhythms of life, appreciating them more as I get older, and the world seems so chaotic.  Children do best with structure and routine. It gives them a sense of safety and security...something in their world can be depended on.  I need that, too.

I love the rhythm of Fall. The warm hues of gold, orange, burgundy, purple, and brown decorate the landscape.  Food shifts to chili and the comfort of stews, soups, roasted meats, and root vegetables.  It welcomes reflection and a settling down.

I love the rhythm of Winter.  Home feels wonderful with the fireplace roaring.  The common winds blowing across the Lake Erie Snow Machine creating a unique beauty of the season.  I need a time of dormancy, just as the natural world.

I love the rhythm of Spring and the predictability of the dull goldfinches beginning to show glimpses of bright yellow.  I need its rhythm of renewal and rebirth.  I need the lightness of pastels, the fresh yellow-green of tender growth, the return of migrating birds and the increased daylight.

I love the rhythm of Summer.  The annuals and perennials are in full bloom and crickets sing each night.  People are more accessible and outside. Photograph opportunities are endless.  Outdoor concerts, grilled entrees, time in the swing on the screened porch, iced tea, fireworks, and full moons beat this rhythm of carefree living.

Rhythm makes life livable in the middle of so much uncertainty.