Fall is here, and this season in particular brings such a mix of emotions for me. I’ve long contended that fall is my favorite season, and I do love the crisp, cool days, clear nights, and beautiful colors. More recently, though, the arrival of fall to me has signaled the end of summer and the impending gloom of winter.
Somewhere in the bliss of sunshine and longer days, I think a part of me forgets that there are seasons (I am speaking metaphorically of our lives here too) and starts to believe that summer joy is all there is. Then fall rolls around, and I remember the pain of winters past. It’s a difficult transition, and it feels a little harder this year.
And so I have been thinking about grief and change, and hope as well — hence our theme this month of Grief & Growth, which you may recognize from a couple years ago1. We’ll lead off the hour with a pair of hopeful tunes from Jason Isbell and Andy Gullahorn (side note: Andy’s album Beyond the Frame is one of my favorites, leaves me laughing and crying every time).
From there we’ll let Jess Ray lead us into a little introspection with her song, “What Have We Found Ourselves In,” and then move into some favorite tracks of mine from Josh Garrels, Alison Kraus, and Judah & the Lion.
We’ll pause with a reading of one of my favorite poems, Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things.” Just the first line of that poem (“When despair for the world grows in me…”) feels like a relief, partially because it confirms that I am not alone and that others have walked these paths ahead of me.
Acoustic Blend airs Saturday, October 8 at 8pm EDT on WBAA AM 920 in Lafayette / West Lafayette, and streaming live on wbaa.org. You can view the full playlist below. ‘Til next month!
This episode originally aired in May 2020, after you-know-what. I recently dusted off the playlist and found the themes surprisingly relevant today.