Growing up in New England and Pennsylvania, fall was always my favorite season: harvest time; the wild colors of the leaves; the crisp air. It came around every year, just as the sun rose and set every day and the moon waxed and waned every four weeks. These cycles are comforting, and for many that is enough. Some of us, however, have an insatiable curiosity, and passion to understand why.
Imagine being a migratory goose, or a Monarch butterfly, or a Paleolithic hunter-gatherer. You don’t need to contemplate why winter follows fall, or why spring will return. You just need to know what to do to survive the winter and assure continuity of your species for another year.
Our Fourth Principle calls on us to affirm and promote a Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning. The Fall Equinox is a good time to reflect on our place in the universe and the importance of asking questions, and the awe that comes from the search for truth and meaning.
