Message From Lisa
October is my favorite month. I love the crispness in the air and the smells and colors of Fall as the leaves begin to turn and the weather cools. I love the North Carolina State Fair that always takes place in October.
Do you know why the leaves change color? The main reason for the color change is not autumn’s chilly weather, but light—or rather, the lack of it. The green color of leaves disappears when photosynthesis (from sunlight) slows down and the chlorophyll breaks down. Trees with a lot of direct sunlight will produce red leaves, while other trees may turn yellow, orange, or brown.
October ends on my favorite holiday, Halloween! Since I was a little girl, I have absolutely loved Halloween. The origin of Halloween can be traced to the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, meaning Summer’s End. This festival celebrated the end of harvest time and the beginning of the “dark half” of the year. It was a seasonal marker as the ancient Celts bid good-bye to warmth and light as days got shorter.
The ancient Celts believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest during Samhain. This had positive benefits, as it was an ideal time to consider the dead, communicate with the deceased, and to divine the future. However, the Celts also believed that some spirits (ghosts) could pass through the wall and damage their crops. To mark the event, people would build huge bonfires to burn crops.
In later years, the Irish used hollowed-out, candlelit turnips carved with a demon’s face to frighten away spirits. When Irish immigrants in the 1840s found few turnips in the United States, they used the more plentiful pumpkins instead.
October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We all know and love people who have fought this terrible cancer. At Lanier Law Group, we have been profoundly touched by the fierce fight our own beloved, Maria has waged against breast cancer. We are thrilled to say that after a long and difficult course of treatment, she finally got to ring the bell! We love you Maria! Thank you for letting us share your journey. You are a shining example to women of the importance of screening and self-care as it saved your life.