October 25, 2024
This autumn season has seen record numbers of leaf peepers flocking to the White Mountains and the towns in and beyond. We can see the red tail lights snaking their way along the winding highways lighting up the evening’s dusk. All seem bent on their search for that perfect destination spot. So many hoards gather at the local restaurants and the favored tourist spots, it is hard to find a seat or even a place to stand. Some are searching for respite from the chores of daily life and the work and school deadlines always to be met. Some come to capture that picture perfect moment that will highlight their weekend in the Whites. And so, they crowd the rocky ledges vying for the best eye-popping view of the mountains so wonderfully cloaked in their coat of many colors.
I know this because I have been this person, and so I understand the magical draw that the mountains bring. For a moment, when looking upon their ageless beauty, the one that poets and artists have tried to capture for eons, one begins to understand that wisdom does not always come in the form of words. It cannot be captured in a human rendered way. It will not be found in that curated photograph, no matter the careful pose. The wisdom of the mountains speaks in a way that only the heart understands. They have withstood the harshest of storms. Winds have ripped away trees and floods have gullied their majestic mountainsides. Snows have fallen so deep and lasted so long, it seemed the wildlife would never again see the light of day. And yet, they have endured, battered but resilient.
Late October has come rolling in, and the trees are putting on their final act before retiring for the winter season. It is the closing scene, and it is a showstopper. One that brings us to our feet with applause. There are not many certainties in today’s world, but this autumn ritual is one that we can always count on. As the bounty of leaves fall tumbling around our feet, we can feel the edges of winter’s chill creeping up upon us. We lay out our winter clothes and prepare our minds for the season that we know we must face.
The seasons come and the seasons go, and of that we can be sure. But this season marks that other climate that awaits us, and it is one that is even more unpredictable than the weather. We look to the mountains for the wisdom they bring to our hearts. We stand in silent awe, and their message is that we too must endure. Though we may feel battered by the elements around us, we are more resilient than we think. We will carry on, and there will be a spring …. come what may.
