"Henry David Thoreau called October "the month for painted leaves" in his final essay, "October, or Autumnal Tints". He marveled at the colors revealed when trees stop producing chlorophyll-reds, yellows, and oranges long hidden beneath the green. "The change to some higher color in a leaf," he wrote, "is evidence that it has arrived at a late and perfect maturity, answering to the maturity of fruits.""
"It's the same with people. Moving through our middle into older age-life's autumn-brings changes to our bodies, work, and relationships. But we decide how to live with them and what they will mean for us. Aging is inevitable, but "old" is a choice. The question is: Do you embrace change as an opportunity to grow? Do you glean wisdom from your life's seasons and live with intention, gratitude, and vibrancy-what I call an October life?"
Autumnal imagery links natural changes to human aging and maturity, with falling leaves and harvest representing life’s cycles and beauty. Aging brings changes in body, work, and relationships, yet being "old" is presented as a choice shaped by responses and meanings attached to experience. An October life emphasizes intentional living, gratitude, vibrancy, and gleaning wisdom from life’s seasons. Practical steps support grounding through nature, mindful attention, and deliberate choices that prioritize integrity, responsibility, and self-awareness. Cultivating an October life is possible at any age and focuses on living boldly and purposefully as life unfolds.
Read at Psychology Today
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