Autumn

There is a small group of my friends who celebrate our significant birthdays within 18 months of each other. Celebrations started last night for the first of the Sixtieths, and will draw to a close in 18 months time with my own special birthday. I like the number 60. In fact I have decided that rather than use the epithets of the late 50s, for the next 18 months I shall respond  "approaching 60" when questioned about my age. My agent of course has beaten me to it. Not in terms of her own age, but  given the fact that she's been putting me up for roles of 60 and over for at least the past four years. But then I've always played older, and I don't have a problem about ageing up.

I'm not worried about losing touch with my inner child. In fact he emerges every day-just ask my partner! But I don't have any fear approaching what my friend Janet referred to in her birthday speech last night as "the  autumn of our years". It is not the first time on this blog that I have mentioned that I like Autumn as a time of year. The smoky afternoons, the drawing in of the evenings, the fallen leaves, and the beckoning need for corduroy and cardigans. Keats had it so right. "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness." And of course Autumn can so often bring with it the joys of an Indian summer. Indeed this year, I suppose that's the only summer that most of us will really see.

Autumn brings with it a lot of celebrations. Halloween, Bonfire night, Harvest festival - whatever is your bag! And so it should be that the Autumn of our lives is a chance to celebrate all that we've done, and use that experience to kick start more opportunities, and to take some risks. It seems that most of my circle are turning to writing. I'm currently editing my second book due to be published at the end of this year, or very early next, and lucky enough to be a regular contributor to The Stage and The Huffington Post. Last night's birthday celebrant will see the publication of her new novel next February, and only last month I was at the book launch another friend of mine, a little younger, but also now turned author.

 Of course Autumn also brings benefits. The harvest. The chance to take the rewards from all the work you did earlier. The good farmer of course is planning for next year. For the next season and I think it is key that we all do this. Think about passing on what we have. It might be financial, it might be knowledge, but if it is left to wither it's of no use.

I haven't yet decided how I will make the most of the celebration of opportunity that will be presented in 18 months time. It will involve friends in some way, and it will involve those who are closest to me. As it will be in March, I am also hoping it might involve somewhere hot and a sun lounger and then it's all hands to the grindstone to make  Autumn the richest of all the seasons yet.