“This is the time of year when it is good to slow down, to take stock of all the ‘busyness’ of the past spring and summer and all that we have accomplished and harvested during the year. Now is the time to think about ourselves; where we have been, where we are now and where we might want to direct ourselves in the future. It is also a time to rest, to draw close to one’s family and spend some time by the fireside, if only metaphorically. Humanity can afford to enjoy some breathing space, inner nurturing and regeneration, just as the plants out in the natural world are resting and consolidating their strength for the great explosion of life and growth the following spring.”