WHAT HAPPINESS!

Ahhh.
I love the fall.
Finally there’s a chance to slow down, linger in bed, and read a book again. What happiness- especially when my husband brings me a cup of coffee or two.
The morning light shines through my window and its hue is comforting: majestic. The gold radiates through to my core and washes clutter away. I am connected now to the wonder of life and bask in its grace. Life is good; love is here.
After a late breakfast, we meet friends for a hike around the sugar bush. The two young girls are curious and adventurous always wanting to know what’s around the next bend – just like me then...and now. What joy, what freedom to get lost and found off the trail. What fond memories flood in.
To lead and follow and crack open quartz and slip on old moss and trip in the mud and find delicate orange flowers and red leaves and climb over and under capsized poplars and follow deer tracks and spot two kinds of woodpeckers and marvel at the blue heron in the tree and scale rock cliffs and nearly step on huge spiders and return once again to the faint path and laugh and eat cookies and hug goodbye. What happiness.
I’ve started guitar lessons and am practicing my scales diligently- finally they’re fun because I now appreciate their fundamental power. And then I attempt the new song I’ve always admired and can now play. I experiment to find the right key then let my voice sing out. What happiness.
To plan a turkey dinner and search for new recipes and prepare the rooms and make apple pies, apple sauce and spice cake and make time to go out and look at the stars.
The sweaters come out, the wood comes in: a whole new way of life settles in.
I love the fall.
The sounds of the acorns plunk.....plunk...plunking down through the branches, the crunchy leaves that make squirrels sound like bears, the waves lapping over the dock and the kettle whistling proudly.
There’s something in the air that grounds me in the goodness of life. Reaping rewards then sharing the bounty is the natural order. There’s plenty to go around now, plenty to put down.
Boats pulled out, stabilizers poured in, lawn chairs retired.
Then there’s: gigantic pumpkins, little princesses, and vampires biting into chocolate.
It’s hard to believe I used to loathe autumn. Everything would fall, including my spirits. But now, as I stand on two strong legs, my heart is full of appreciation.
Ahhh, what happiness.