It is December at this writing, a season of darkness and light, of looking forward and looking back.

There are many journeys each of us makes in the course of a day, not to mention across a week, a month, and a year from January to December.

These may be physical journeys to a new land to explore, down the street to help a friend, across a room to greet a stranger.

They could be journeys of thought, imagination, storytelling, learning, and reflecting on changes brought by these.

“You’re only given one little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” - Robin Williams

Shifting times indeed.

Autumn is always a season of change.  It is also a season of hope, of sharing, of community, of sharing stories and taking time for reflection.

All still true as times continue to shift.

Music is a fine companion for all that, through all the changes. That is still true, as well.

In the northern hemisphere, the 11th month of the year conjures images of everything fall festival. Cities and small towns share their Gilmore Girl-inspired events amidst colorful foliage, pumpkin overload, and orchards upon orchards of apple picking. 

Like years, seasons, and hormones, everything comes in cycles—and that includes elections. 

Autumn: change in weather and in landscape can happen overnight.

Autumn’s changes may also come in more subtle ways. There are seasonal changes such as turn of color in leaves, and more permanent ones, such as those caused by autumn storms.

Autumn is often a time of change in areas of life beyond the natural world, adjustments of all sorts. It is also, in many parts of the world, a time for political change.

From varied ways love may be expressed to courage to take good journeys to reflection on hope through shifting times, musicians consider all these things, too.