October 31, 2018

Early Morning, Autumn

Dear Driftwood,

It is that time of year again when the earth feels fully pregnant, ready to heave forth all of her bounty and deliver what is needed to make it through winter. There is a sense of urgency this time of year here...animals scurrying to collect, store, and eat as much food as possible. Some will build or find shelter to hunker down in the coming long winter months. Some, like the gaggle of noisy geese I saw today, are filling their bellies and increasing their energy stores to fly further south, migrating to warmer climates for the winter. Kids are all settled back into the routine of school, brimming with energy, starting to anticipate the winter holidays. This is the time when world becomes one giant splotch of vibrant paint, colors seeming to radiate from every living thing- a giant patchwork quilt of color woven together one dying leaf at a time.

As you know, this has always been my favorite time of year. I love the sense of coziness it brings...the sense of comfort and belonging and kinship among friends, family, and neighbors. Football, bonfires, harvest parties, Halloween, hiking through crunchy trails littered in confetti leaves, fluffy sweatshirts, fuzzy boots, steaming hot mocha...all of these things bring me joy and thankfulness that I get to experience them again this year. I think back to my childhood and autumn holds many of my sweetest memories...back to school time, fires in the fireplace, football and cheer-leading, homecoming dances, bus trips to the apple orchard with my grandparents. It seems just like yesterday all of these things were happening and yet here I am watching my own kids experiencing these exact moments. How could that have happened so fast?

I wonder what autumn is like where you are, my dear Driftwood...

Yours always,
Me