Most change leads to a new beginning. That’s what they say anyway. It’s been a tough, arduous grind through 2020, and here we are with autumn on our doorstep, bringing with it who knows what?

We’ve slogged our way through the pandemic with its isolation and deprivation, an incomparably divisive political climate, and who knows whether or not the worst is yet to come?

But as we bid farewell to summer, some are looking forward with hope in their hearts while others harbor fear and trepidation. It isn’t difficult to understand either side of it. Both the COVID-19 crisis and the political prospects could go either way. Ultimately, it’s up to us to affect the outcomes of these issues.

We have expert guidance on how to control the spread of the virus, and hopefully an effective vaccine will be developed and distributed relatively soon, even though experts warn that it could take as long as a year or so to get it out to everyone. Still, we know how to keep ourselves and others as safe as possible, even though fatigue from such measures is strong. All one has to do, however, is consider the alternative.

The political dust will settle too. Whatever preferences one has, we are nearing a completion of the process. Not everyone will get their way, but we can all hope for the best in the long term.

So, a change of season can represent a moving forward, taking the next step and shaking off the troubles of the past. It’s also a reminder that we are all children of nature and should take stock in the beauty and wonder of life itself. Again, consider the alternative.