It seems I drive a lot…more than I care to, actually. But it just seems there’s always something that draws me to town. I told you earlier that my truck needs brake work, so we ordered new rotors. They were supposed to arrive on Wednesday, but didn’t get here till yesterday. Which actually worked out perfectly. We had our family Thanksgiving yesterday at the former Mrs. FixIt’s house, so we dropped the truck off at the garage on the way.
Earlier in the day, I drove out to the farm to drop off some things for Frank and Beans and to see if they’d received any mail for me. Even though I complain about being away from home too much, I do love to drive because it affords me my best thinking time. As I was driving home, the sun was slanting through the trees and turning the leaves a fiery red, gold, yellow and a deep bittersweet orange. I thought of the term…Indian Summer.
The term has been around for at least 200 years. It describes that period of abnormally warm weather after the first frost. It was probably given the name since this was the harvest season for the Native Americans and it was know as the Indian’s Summer. Meteorologists have used the term for decades. It conjures up Friday night football, raking leaves, the smell of woodsmoke, and whatever activity that takes you outside to enjoy the last glimpse of summer before she says goodbye and Old Man Winter takes over.
I have become more sensitive and empathetic since losing Mr. Virgo. Part of what has changed for me is the ability to stand in someone else’s shoes, if even for a brief moment. Many terms have been altered and modernized as we become more aware how our words and names affect others. Our nomenclature should evolve as the world changes…as we change. I thought about “Indian Summer” and I wondered what term would be equally descriptive without being offensive to a particular ethnic group.
Summer’s Reprise. That is what I came up with. Reprise literally means to “repeat the performance of”. And…it’s a lyrical term. It conjures up the same images of the former “Indian Summer” and adds a hint of musical grace to it. It is nature’s second rising…an encore, if you will. Not to be confused with the negative connotation of “reprisal” which means an act of retaliation.
Yes…Summer’s Reprise. A time to bask in the sun for one last chance at that extra squeeze of Vitamin D. One last hurrah before the rain comes (as it is doing even as I write this) and steals away Autumn’s glorious gown and dashes it to a muddy heap on the forest floor. All of this came to me as I drove my 385 horsepower “leaf blower” through the countryside…looking in the rear view mirror as the leaves whirled up behind me…sweeping the roadway clean.
Our Thanksgiving meal was wonderful. It was great to see almost all of the family. One group didn’t attend. Our great granddaughter came running to me and clung to me like I was her most prized possession. Her little brother wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a big squeeze. The bigs and the littles…the old and the young…gathering around a fire, balancing heaping plates of delicious food on our knees…thanking God for the bounty, the company, and yes…Summer’s Reprise.
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“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Psalm 107:1 ESV