The Best Time of the Year

This is my favorite time of the year.
I submit, the best time of the year. I call them, the Bers.
There are four Bers and they grow in increasing amounts of wonderful as time goes by.


First is Septem. This is such a glorious Ber. It may be the best. Summer has just lost its hold on the world, leaving the weather cool enough to go outside without melting into a puddle, but not so cold you need to wear warm clothes. Septem is the herald of the best season, Autumn. It ushers in the leaves, the cloudy skies, the festivals. And there are a few important birthdays in this Ber.


Second is Octo. Octo is when Autumn really sets itself up over the world. It brings the leaves into their vibrant splendor, revealing the uniqueness of each leaf that had been hidden under the ubiquitous green all Summer. Forests blaze like fire, as if to ward off the coming cold of Winter. Corn fields turn to seas of gold, with the promise of the bounty after a long season of work. Festivals pop up in every other small town, with parades, hot cider, fried carnival food, and fun. And most especially, Autumn's greatest attribute starts springing up all over: Pumpkins. One of God's greatest creations. Their homey look, their warm color, their artistic capabilities, and, of course, their endless possibilities of tasty food.


Third is Novem. Novem is the last Ber of Autumn's rule. So it is beautiful, and a little sad. The ruckus of Halloween has passed leaving only the good bits of Autumn left; harvest, bonfires, togetherness. The leaves have passed their splendor on, leaving it on the ground declaring Winter's coming, but giving people that satisfying swish as they walk through them. And it is officially the time for hearty food. Stews, chili, cornbread, pumpkin pie, hot chocolate. A perfect opportunity presents itself in Novem to celebrate these foods with the great holiday of Thanksgiving. A time for families to come together to celebrate all that they have by sharing as much of the harvest bounty with each other. Such a great Ber.

There is a magic in Autumn. A smell in the air, a feel in the sky. Its like no other time, a specific flavor to the world that God gives for a short while. Autumn gives you a feeling for how wild the world is, as the clouds churn gray and the wind whips through the leaves. It creates excitement and possibilities of places to discover amid the forests and back roads. But it also gives a feeling of home. The cool weather bundles you up, inspires you to gather with others. The warm colors make you want to build a fire and spend the night talking with loved ones. It calls people to come home. Nothing will ever be like Autumn, it is a magical, magical season. And one that reminds us how alive the world is, and how very abundant it can be.


The last Ber is Decem, the herald of Winter. Although it takes away the magic of Autumn, it replaces it with a magic of its own: Christmas. Christmas takes the homey feeling of Autumn and culminates it in a time of true family gathering. There's no place like home for Christmas. The fresh snow is exciting and clean, it blankets the world as if to say, "Let's start over again." Because its been gone for so long you don't even mind the cold it brings. Instead, snowmen ideas start popping up in your head, the urge to sled down the steepest hill takes over. Cookies, cakes, hot meats, come into every meal. The lights, the singing, the charity, the love all take over the Ber, leaving nothing but goodwill.

But Decem holds a higher honor than all of that. It has one of the most sacred holidays in existence. Decem gets to celebrate the time when a beyond loving God placed himself into our world, to show how much he cared. A God who decided to forfeit his life in order to save his creation. Decem is quite a holy Ber, and from this holiday springs forth all the joy and love and comfort that Christmas holds. It truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

And those are the Bers. The magic of Autumn, the honor of Christmas. I am going to cherish every second of this year's Bers.

I hope you'll do the same.