Osler's Razor

On Friday, I spoke to a group of St. Thomas students at Manna, which is a little Protestant service held each week at the school. My talk was a little ham-handed (I'm rusty) but genuine, and the audience was wonderful. I'm back in school.

My life is really defined by two rhythms-- the school year and the church calendar. Both have spiritual meaning to me. For the school year, fall is rebirth. The few years I was away from an academic calendar, it was most odd in September, when there was no renewal and change-- a new start. I love that part of the cycle, and all that comes with it.

The church calendar runs differently, and perhaps more abstractly. The emotional starting point for many people is Easter, which very vividly depicts and defines renewal. For others, the start of the year might be Advent and Christmas. Either way, I love it when a church pays attention to the seasons of faith, and recognizes we need rhythm in our lives. We do, because God placed that need within us.

Not all moments are equal. Yesterday I was out in the front yard and found one perfectly formed, miraculous red maple leaf-- the first leaf of the fall. I picked it up (quite a project on crutches) and held it in my palm and said a little prayer of thanks. God put us here, turning around our sun, and all of His creatures respond together.

Fall is here.