As the vibrant colors of summer fade into the golden hues of autumn, we are reminded of life’s inevitable cycles. Just as the leaves fall from the trees, signaling a time of change and letting go, we also experience seasons in our own lives. “Blossoming in your own time” speaks to the deeply personal and often unpredictable healing journey after the death loss of someone meaningful in our lives.

Autumn, often considered the season of grief in Asian mysticism and Chinese medicine, resonates deeply with those who are navigating the complexities of a death loss. The crisp air, the falling leaves, and the shortening days all seem to echo the emotions that come with grief—courage intertwined with sadness, beauty mingled with melancholy. It’s a time to honor your feelings, to let them fall like the leaves, and to trust that in doing so, you’re making space for new growth.

As Eleanor Haley beautifully captures in her reflection, fall is often a time when the weight of a death loss feels particularly close, a season when the memories of our person seem to hover just out of reach. Her words remind us that it’s okay to feel a bit “off-kilter,” to find ourselves suddenly overwhelmed by emotion in the most unexpected moments. These feelings are part of the journey, a sign that you’re still deeply connected to those you’ve lost, even as you move forward in your life.

Autumn

by Rainer Maria Rilke

The leaves are falling, falling as if from far up, as if orchards were dying high in space. Each leaf falls as if it were motioning “no.”

And tonight the heavy earth is falling away from all other stars in the loneliness.

We’re all falling. This hand here is falling. And look at the other one. It’s in them all.

And yet there is someone, whose hands infinitely calm, holding up all this falling.

Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem “Autumn” further illustrates this delicate balance. The falling leaves, the loneliness, the sense that we are all in some way “falling”—yet, a quiet strength holds us up and keeps us grounded even amid a death loss.

There’s no set timeline for when the pain of grief will lessen or when we’ll begin to feel like ourselves again. The process is as unique as each of us, unfolding at its own pace. Just as a flower blooms when it’s ready, so will your heart find its way toward peace and acceptance.

As you navigate your grief journey this autumn, remember that it’s okay to move at your own pace. There’s no rush, no pressure to “move on.” Instead, focus on moving forward—honoring your memories, embracing your emotions, and trusting that, in time, you will blossom once again.

Fall may be your grief season, but it’s also a season of profound beauty and transformation. Allow yourself to feel, heal, and grow. And know that, just as every leaf falls in its own time, so too will you find your way to a place of peace in your own time.