So I’m on the SouthSide Circulator listening to music on this fine summer/fall day. Actually, I don’t have a word for this space of transition. I mean, Autumn is a transitional season right, But what about the transition into the transition? How do we document that?  Faummer? Sautumn? Summall? … Maybe Summall.

I ask because I feel like I may be in that same season in my life – the transition before the fall. A “summall” for the living. The 20’s are looked at as this blazing ball of youth and passion; learning about the world, all while making the memories that will further shape your adulthood. My 20’s were riddled with mistakes and joys, like bullet holes allowing light into my darkness. I faced danger for the story; I’ve lived to tell the tale.

Folks say the 30’s are when you settle down. But settle into what? Debt? Anxiety? The constant quaking of your life’s stability? I chose not to be dust, and uprooted a lot of what was used to define me. I cut my locs, continued to perform, but is some less public spots, danced a little less and a lot harder. I began to claim my own joy, and so far, my 30’s have been summer to my 20’s spring.

I’m 35 now. I’ve found myself doing some things that are usually reserved for someone in harvest. I’ve bought a home, I’ve released my book, Drew and I have written and produced our two-man show (tickets are available for the October shows here), I’ve helped put other artists on in spaces that will secure their legacy for years to come. But I feel like i’m not in full autumn yet. I’ve still got seeds that are planted and taking root.

So here I am; a man in the “Summall” of his life. Dyeing his hair, piercing his ears, performing across the country, and finding new joys as he slows down a bit. I’m learning the wonder that is rest, I’ve began to introduce my ends to each other, and my career is on a track that supports my artistry.

I guess I’m saying don’t fear age. We are lucky, blessed, or whatever you say to recognize you are favored. And with that… I gotta get of this bus.