Not gone, gone yet. But, change is in the air.
In fact, it was even on the ground; it was a shock to find these leaves even before August had ended, and when the official end to summer is more than three weeks away!
A far change from the corner of the old country where I grew up. There, the significant deviation from the hot days and months was when the rains came, and when the monsoon downpours that then filled up the gully by our home. We would watch through the window the volume and the velocity picking up as the water became muddier by the minute.
There were seasons of different kinds in the old country.
Like the mango season.
The wedding season.
The annual school holiday season.
Seasons are how we mark time.
In this corner of the world that is home to me, I joke with students that if it were not for the seasonal changes in the temperature, I would not know how to get ready for classes. With the academic calendar wonderfully in sync with the changes in the conditions in the natural world, if it were the glorious summer all year round, then we might never ever get to any serious work at all.
But, perhaps life in a tropical paradise where nobody really worked is not a bad thing; after all, life is not about working, and if one simply enjoyed the existence in a tropical paradise, who is to say that a life thus lived is inferior to one that is governed by work and calendar! Does it really matter if one simply lived, ate, had sex, and died convinced that it was a wonderful life, without having ever wondered, even for a nanosecond, how all these came about? Is it condescending and judgmental to claim that a life not examined is not worth it?
You see, this is what happens as the summer begins to yield to cooler temperatures. Frivolous thoughts are pushed aside and yield to contemplation. It is no surprise, therefore, that even Hollywood waits until the fall and winter to release the serious movies--when the berries abound and when the roses are in bloom, it is difficult to imagine that life is not an endless Oregon summer.
The seasons change.
We, too, change.
3 comments:
Ah, yes, fall is in the air. School begins in 4 days, high school football has begun, and the hibiscus is blooming. Time to consider warming soups and stews and start baking bread again. A satisfying meal to share while discussing the serious topics of fall and winter . . .
Then soon enough we will put away our boots and umbrellas and relish the sun on our faces again.
@Anne - Can't resist asking if you can ever put away umbrellas, boots, raincoats, etc etc in your part of the world. Just my small perverse pleasure in needling Oregonians, even though I am outnumbered 2 to 1 in this forum :):):):):)
@Sriram - Here's a job opening for the distinguished Professor
Wanted : Star Gazer in Māmakunudhoo Atoll
Job : To sit on a tropical beach, look up to the stars and contemplate the world
Business attire - Briefest of shorts. T Shirt optional
Temperature - I said tropical paradise. Min temp 81 .
Necessary skill - Must be able to swim, snorkel and dive
Additional skills - Must be able to spot Oregonians amongst the tourists and arrange for them to be sprayed with fine rain every 5 minutes so that they don't feel homesick.
Food - Catch your own fish and grill them on the beach
Accommodation will be provided - an entire island to lie down on wherever you want
Added perquisites - Million women in bikinis
No internet ; Congoboys have to be given send offs
Remuneration : You have to pay $100 a day for the privilege.
Offer is made to the Distinguished Professor. Please respond to the undersigned within 15 days.
Muahahahahahaha ;)
In this one, Ramesh is hysterically funny ...
"No internet" is a definite deal breaker, even if I am ready to put up with the heat, humidity, women in bikinis, and fish for food, while I swim like a rock :(
BTW, you have done an awesome job keeping track of the various peculiarities of my life in listing those out. pretty darn cool, my friend!
BTW, we real Oregon men don't use umbrellas and such ;)
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