Passing of the seasons
Fall on the Kenai River, 2021
Mono no aware is a Japanese art term for the awareness of impermanence. Cherry blossoms are the classic example. Alaska evokes mono no aware constantly. Its polar geography brings extreme cycles of weather, daylight hours, plant life, wildlife migrations — you name it. Summer is a short three-month burst. Salmon run in peaks that last a week or two. A brief window bounded by trees turning and first snow, autumn feels shortest of all. The pendulum swing between summer and winter slows down a tad on the extremes. But the fall and spring transitions in between are shockingly drastic. Solstice, equinox, all solar-planetary geometries take on real meaning as endless summer days with no real darkness tilt sharply toward 5-hour winter days. It is all very disorienting for a boy from Texas.
There can be a melancholy in the transience; in fact, mono no aware reminds us of the impermanence of our lives. But it’s my favorite part of living in Alaska, adding an urgency to every fishing hole, bluebird hike, or chance at the photo I’ve been waiting a full year to take. It is a thrill to chase the highs of the season, appreciating the fleeting moments.