I actually missed the first day of Autumn. OK actually, I missed day two and three as well. It came to my attention today on the fourth day upon investigating the outside temperature. I was shocked to see the temp outside was just under 80 degrees at 11 AM. It's only shocking because a week ago we reached another 100 degree day bringing our grand total to some obscene number that I wish to forget. So what is it about Autumn that makes me a feel a mixture of relief and reflective sadness? It may very well be the reflection piece of it that hurdles me toward the edge of a slight depression. No matter though because I was determined to enjoy the day. Nana wanted to stay at home and make lunch in the kitchen. I couldn't indulge her in this though because I had this yearning to get outside. So I bribed her with promises of Chick-Fil-A and a cool afternoon of sketching at the park. She and her sister agreed. It was so much fun to just enjoy time with them in a peaceful scenic place. There was a pond, ducks, geese, and even a lone egret. I brought out a beautiful quilt and we spent several hours doing something other than bickering or annoying each other. We spent time breathing in the Autumn air, laughing, chatting, and just having a good time. The thought of leaving that moment left a deep ache in my heart. As I walked back to the car with my girls, I was reminded that the world that I have constructed is waiting for me. There are papers to grade, clothes to wash, and an overwhelming sense of too much to do and such little time. I fill my so much of my life with all the things I have to do or should do. I spend very little time contemplating why I am doing them. I am almost afraid that if I sat still long enough I would realize that my priorities are in the wrong place. Autumn is that season that gives us a sense of relief from the overwhelming heat of the summer but it also reminds us of the cold bitterness that is to come. The girls asked me why I liked fall more than spring. I suppose one of those reasons is that it bears a greater reminder to me than Spring. Fall has a sense of reverence where as Spring tends to be euphoric and full of life. Autumn is that amazing time when things slow down. Autumn is the stuff of poetry. It is the calm before the storm. It is the reflection before slumber. I am glad I had the fourth day of Fall to remind me that I need to slow down and enjoy small moments with my girls. If you didn't get a chance to enjoy your fourth day, try tomorrow you can still enjoy the fifth day :)
