Dear October
October is my favourite month by far, and the list of reasons keeps growing:
Autumnal beauty
Birthdays (my daughter’s and mine, amongst others)
Cooler weather
Fall fashion
Fireplaces back in action
Halloween
Sweaters with saris
October is also the start of a series of Hindu celebrations, what many refer to as the ‘festive season’ that culminates for some in Diwali. Growing up, this meant a few weeks filled with visits to numerous families who celebrate in different ways, and often welcoming guests of our own.
This year marks the first year we’ve been back in Ottawa with people opening their homes again for visitors and celebrations. Religious beliefs aside, because even within our own family they vary greatly, I love October for the cultural and social energy - as if the month offers up opportunities to connect and feel one another’s vibrations to balance out the lowering temperatures. And after the last two years in athleisure (ok, just leisure) clothes, it’s nice to have a reason to reach for other sartorial choices.
My sister and I used to visit all the houses, and play hostess when it was our turn at home. We never really questioned any of those occasions, we were expected to dress up and participate and find a way to busy ourselves with or without other children in attendance. In fact, the phenomenon of babysitting was rare - we were simply taken everywhere and expected to adjust to a variety of people and environments. I usually brought a book or two with me, especially when my sister was still a baby.
Earlier this week I found myself driving to one of the festive open house visits at the home of close family friends. This time, my parents drove themselves and I drove my sister along with my two children. It was the home of one of my closest Indian friends during high school, her parents still live here but their children have all moved away. There was so much familiarity and shared history, also so much newness bringing my own children there for the first time to be surrounded by community and food and traditions. So new, yet they soon found their way to a sofa with their books, just as I had decades ago. And they navigated around the saris and aunties just as we did when we were young, foraging for food while conversations unfolded overhead. I’m looking forward to hosting some of these festivities next year (when I - hopefully - have the bandwidth!), putting our own spin on things to keep them meaningful and relevant for our family as we establish our own traditions.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to an October of abundance for all of us. Lots of sweaters and saris. Lots of community. Lots of fall colours. And, obviously, lots of Halloween candy.
