Can you believe that it’s October again? There are only three months left in 2025. That feels both scary and overwhelming. Where has the time gone? Another year is flying by.

 

But it is also wonderful and exciting, because October is one of my favourite times of the year. Afrikaans author, C Louis Leipoldt, wrote in his poem "Oktobermaand":

 

“Dit is die maand Oktober,

die mooiste, mooiste maand:

Dan is die dag so helder,

so groen is elke aand ...”

It can be loosely translated as follows:

 

"It is the month of October,

the loveliest time of all:

The days are bright with sunlight,

and green the evenings fall ..."

 

At this time of year, Johannesburg and Pretoria are adorned with a purple canopy of Jacaranda trees. Here in the Cape, the flower season is mostly over, but cheerfulness continues to fill the air.

 

The festive season is also around the corner, and that means there’s an added hint of excitement in the air.

 

Alas, as Isaiah reminds us, even the most beautiful month is temporary. The pretty flowers will wither, and the grass that turned green from the winter rains will begin to dry when the summer sun takes its toll.

 

Still, that does not mean we can’t enjoy the beauty and delight in the present moment. We can soak up the bright evenings, fresh mornings and spring feeling. It remains a gift from above – it is the perfect time to notice beauty again, to appreciate it and celebrate it.

 

We can always find comfort in the reminder that even though months pass, seasons change and most things are temporary, God is constant. God’s Word is always there, unchanging and consistent. His promises to us, his children, will stand firm forever. They are not only valid when the months are bright and beautiful. They remain true even when we find ourselves in a long winter.

 

Perhaps C Louis Leipoldt was right when he wrote that maybe in heaven, it is always October. The most beautiful, beautiful month. Wouldn’t that be marvellous?

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful time of year. Thank you for carrying me this far. Help me to embrace the last stretch of this year with courage, to enjoy the most beautiful month, but also to remember that when beautiful things fade, you remain with me. Amen.