October Comes

Photo: Springfield, IL - Old State Capitol Dome at Dusk 10.13.2005

October in Springfield, Illinois is both a beautiful time, and a sad time for those who love the sun. Days are growing ever shorter, and temperatures are dropping - especially in the evening. Any illusion of endless summer which Springfieldians may clutch onto throughout September are usually brought to an end by the middle of October.

While each year is just a little different most here in Central Illinois cross their fingers, and wish for an "Indian Summer". Indian Summer is a gentle, slow, and tangibly beautiful transition into the first frosty days, and nights of Fall. Every October we Springfieldians look for signs of this slower than usual entry into Fall. The leaves on the trees may change a bit more slowly, and a bit later than the year before. The air conditioners are still needed into the first weeks of October. The sky remains clear, and blue. We look for these signs, and hope for a fluke.

Perhaps it will last? Perhaps Summer will just go on forever? Why must it end? Can't just one year be different? We slowly find ourselves spending less time outdoors. We decorate our homes with Pumpkins, and Halloween lights to defeat the growing darkness.

And we hope.

But year, after year despite our hopes Fall takes over, and the cold touch of Winter begins to show its way into our lives once again. It comes in the night. A frost on the window. A cold brush across the wall. The inevitable sense of defeat when we finally turn on the heat so as not to awaken to a freezing cold home.

We break out the light jackets, sweaters, and hoodies - pushing the Winter coats to the side for now. We know it is only a matter of time until we'll be wearing them, but we tell ourselves not right now.

We begin baking cookies again. We put away our grills. We cover up our pools.

And we take in the beauty of the trees as they once again metamorph themselves into the butterflies they only can become in Fall.