The Arrival of Fall and Cranky People

Author’s Note: As I dive deeper into writing, I’m learning that something that is important to most writers and publishers is word count.  You want to have enough words that the internet will recognize that you exist, but you don’t want to be so wordy that people get tired of reading your content. But then again you have to have enough there that’s worthy of being read.  It’s a balance.  As an artist, I’ve always looked at content creation like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  You shouldn’t have too much or too little…it should be just right.  But depending on the piece or the subject, the amount of information that falls into that “just right” category can vary wildly.  Today’s post is lower on word count, but I hope the content is “just right."

​October has finally arrived.  I love fall.  It’s always a toss up for me which is my favorite: the fresh, new growth of Spring or the crisp, cool air of an Autumn day.  Of course, now that it’s here, I’m deciding for the moment that fall is best.  

I love so many things about the arrival of October.  Cooler weather.  Transitioning from cold brew to warm lattes.  ALL of the fall decor.  Pumpkins and squash.  Oh, squash soup and stuffed squash at Café Rosé.  Fun movies and tales, specifically Hocus Pocus, The Great Pumpkin, and The Nightmare Before Christmas (which will stay relevant through the Christmas season, of course).  

Can I tell you what I’m really NOT loving right now?  Election season.  (Yep, I went there.) We are currently four weeks from America’s decision of its next president, and I am currently being inundated with political ads in all forms, unsolicited text messages, and an overwhelming amount of yard signs.  I am getting really, really, worn out.  Not because I don’t like politics — I actually really love politics.  But I’ve already made my decision of who I plan to vote for, and so, to me, it feels like overkill.
​I’m going to make the assumption that you, too, have already made up your mind about who you’re going to vote for in November.  I’m not coming at you to debate the who (because, like I said, I’m certain you’ve already made up your mind).  However, we as a society really need to talk about the how.  Dear people, some of you are simply cranky and/or unkind.  Don’t get it twisted: it is really important to know what you believe in and to defend your principles ardently.  It is okay to feel frustrated when things aren’t going the way you had hoped.  However, I’d like to give you a list of things that are not acceptable or okay:
    -assuming someone is mentally ill because they believe differently (and telling them as much)
    -threats to a person’s health or safety
    -lying to support your narrative

This list is not exhaustive; these are just things I’ve seen in the past twenty-four hours.  Twenty. Four. Hours.

Can I tell you something I’ve always found remarkable?  In the New Testament, the book of John, chapter four, Jesus talked to a woman at a well in Sychar in the middle of the day while traveling through Samaria.  I am no Bible scholar, but I have learned that this was not commonplace and it would have been SUPER frowned upon for them to be talking.  Jesus, being God, knew everything about this woman; He knew her entire story; He knew the way she lived her life.  He knew they were nothing alike.  But still, he talked to her and cared for her.  When was the last time you knowingly engaged with a person who thinks so differently from you, and you kept the conversation civil, remaining friendly?  (I hope you can actually answer with a positive experience.)

So, here’s our goal for October:  Care for one another.  Be kind to one another.  Let people enjoy their pumpkin spice lattes and Halloween movies every day.  Engage in civil discourse with those around you.  Don’t lie, or spread stories you haven’t fact checked.  Don’t wish evil on others.  Just. Be. Kind. 

Okay?  Okay.