Autumn’s Breathtaking Sparkle
September. Late-summer tomatoes lasted until the end of the month. Cool mornings whispered of days to come. Afternoons still felt steamy. Leaves, a mere scattering, drifted ever so softly to the ground. Sunlight glimmered, felt both warm and a winding-down at the same time. Nights rolled up earlier. Mornings arrived later. September, always a month of transition as it vacillates between summer and autumn, positively sparkled.
And now, here we are in October. Suddenly, the mornings feel a bit crisper. The breeze makes you pull a jacket closer around you. Our tiny pup, Poirot, has a little more pep in his step as we walk around the neighborhood. The light still has that pretty, mellow feel…but it’s waning. A subtle retreat is palpable, but, even so, the sunshine carries that special amber glow you only get this time of year.
Meaningful Memories
For my family, this part of the calendar holds days that are truly special, as well as ones that are rife with reflection. We all have seasons like that, right? And as the years have carried me further from moments that demarcate an after, what I’ve found is all the hallmarks of the season—the shifting light, breezes that gust up and surprise, the first leaves to turn color—they all add another layer of richness to these days that now land in a poignant way.
Memories of loved ones imbue with the days, giving them an extra shimmer, a depth that hadn’t been there before. Perhaps our love becomes fused with time, the calendar page, the season. A moment, after all, can hold so much…especially as meaning deepens with the passing years.
Moving Forward With
The days haven’t always been easy. I haven’t always been able to cast a philosophical eye about a moment or about losses that pierce clean through to my core. Having loads of love and understanding around you when you’re sloppy with grief helps lead you out, helps you stand up, helps you move forward with loved ones you’ve lost. Always with.
Yes, there are times when emotion still catches me unaware. That is what an abiding love will do sometimes, just wreck you out of the blue. Nothing in life is linear, especially when it comes to sorrow. But, and I say this with gratitude as I look out my window at the bright day and think back to a time that felt so dark with loss: That devastating darkness is not today.
Welcome, Autumn
And so, here’s to today…to the sparkle, the light, the warmth of the sun on our cheeks and the brisk wind that cuts through. To the heartbreak. The memories that echo on repeat. The hope. To carrying it all. The ongoing embrace of all that life gives us…here’s to every bit of it.
