September is upon us. Oh, where did the summer go? To be quite honest, I’m not that sad to see it go. Sure, I like going outside without bundling up. But Summer has become my least favorite season. I think air conditioning and Daylight Saving Time have a lot to do with it.
But I love September. Things start to shift. The world is rotating and moving a little farther from the sun. We can all see the changing of the seasons heading our way.
Not only that, but September means “seven.” And seven is my favorite number. The name comes from the Latin septem. And that means seven. The reason September has this name is that it was the seventh month in the ancient Roman calendar before January and February were added. Now it is ninth.
I mentioned the changing of the guard when it comes to the seasons. The September equinox doesn’t always fall on the same date. Depending on the year and time zone, it can occur on September 22, 23, or 24. The Autumn Equinox, formally.
When I was a little kid, my mom used to play Harvest Moon on the piano. We’d sing along at will. Although I only knew the chorus. But. Here is the thing. The Harvest Moon isn’t always in September. Many people think of it as September’s full moon. But the Harvest Moon is actually the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. About every three years, it falls in October instead.
None of my siblings were born in September. Nor were my mom or dad. But lo and behold, September has the most common birthday. Studies of birth records consistently show that September 9 is among the most common birthdays in the United States. That’s 9/9. And, nine of the ten most common birthdays fall between September 9 and September 20.
Thirty days hath September. So do April, June, and November, if you’re counting.
Finally, September’s birth flowers are the aster and the morning glory. The birthstone is sapphire.
I should note that the aster symbolizes love and wisdom, while the morning glory represents affection and renewal. But those morning glories? I just read that their blossoms last only a single day. Seems a little sad to me.
Speaking of feeling blue, let’s talk about that sapphire. They are often associated with deep blue, but they naturally occur in nearly every color except red. Pink, yellow, green, orange, purple, and even color-changing sapphires exist. That is one versatile gem.
Which brings me to this. You are a gem. Yes, you are. As this month begins, as each day of this month begins, remember what a good person you are. You have done so much for this world. Maybe your deeds have been large, or maybe they have been heartfelt and small. Either way, your kindness has touched this world. Thank you for all you do.
Thanks for shining your light on this world, a bright Harvest Moon, in the everyday sky.
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“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” — Jim Bishop
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“The harvest is always richer than the seed.” — George Monroe
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“The moon is the friend of the lonesome to talk to.” — Carl Sandburg
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“How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it.” — George Elliston
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