Redefining November
November has historically been a tough sell for me. I feel like it’s the time of year when the world here in Ohio settles into slumber mode. The visual concert of October foliage literally falls away. Damp chill infiltrates my bones. Reluctantly I close my windows, and I grudgingly settle into a hibernation of the soul where quiet seems to permeate my days. Puzzles, cups of hot cinnamon spice tea, and the search for a good book indicate a shift in the chilly winds.
Leave it to my children to help me to expand the November story of my soul. One year ago in early November, my newly engaged daughter and her fiancé toyed with various wedding dates. Maybe winter, they thought; and I thought magical snowfall and furry ear muffs. Maybe spring, they thought; and I thought daffodils and tulips. Maybe summer, they thought; and I thought blooming trees and warm breezes. Maybe September, they thought; and I thought sunflowers and apple cider. Maybe November, they thought; and I thought, UGH. Really? November? I mean, who would ever choose November for their forever celebration month?
Until now, I’ve never been a fan of November. Etchings of damp winds and absent sunshine threatened to turn me into a grinch far short of tinsel season. My soul is so nourished by the sun and warm air. As such sustenance of the spirit becomes more fleeting, I have to resist gloom. Yet, all of us who have adult children know our job is to accept the decisions they make as they build their own lives, and shut up. Still. November?
Well, here we are. November is upon us and my daughter is about to embrace the most wonderous day of her life, and I’m happy to report that couldn’t be more excited. I’ve done a bit of reflection, and I realize my November blues are nothing more than a lazy resignation into old ways of thinking. Leave it to my Holly to shake up my stale, unmagical thoughts.
I mean, who doesn’t love hot cup of tea on a melancholy day. My tea kettle is simmering as we speak. The warm breezes of summer and early fall are always calling me to be outside, and now I can give myself permission to love the quiet and solitude of just being home. And quite frankly, in a few weeks as Thanksgiving flurry is quickly followed by Holiday preparations, the invitation to pause while November takes hold might not be such undesirable thing after all.
I was talking with a friend who told me her wedding anniversary is in November. I asked her how the weather was all those years ago, and she smiled. “It rained all day long,” she said. Yet, I saw the twinkle in her eye and the smile that lit her face. I sensed her prolonged joy in remembering her November enchantment that shone brightly even between the raindrops.
By the time you read this, my family will be in full wedding mode. The suits will be pressed, the dresses will have been steamed, and those wedding shoes I’ve been wearing since September will have been long broken in and ready for the dance floor. I’m so glad my daughter and her guy decided to uproot my November doldrums and create a new vibe of joy and celebration.
And the best news is that post-wedding November, while I settle into a bit of dormancy, I will be warmed by the memories and repeated scroll through photos of what will surely be a great November wedding delight.