This photo shows what our Northern Wisconsin neighborhood probably looks like by now. The picture was taken at our up-north home in early September, a few years ago. In about four weeks the color will explode all around us in Southern Wisconsin, while five hours north—where we formerly lived—the leaves will be largely down and folks will be hunkering for winter.
Autumn: a time of beauty. Autumn is also a time of increased activity. I’ll never breath that first clear fall air without closing my eyes and recalling those Septembers many years ago—when, wearing a new (usually red) plaid dress, I happily trudged off to school (not miles, only 1 block) with my unruly brown hair neatly restrained in chunky long ropes which my mother brushed and braided for me every morning.
When I became an adult my pace increased pleasantly, as over the decades I had six young people to get off to school in the morning. Four of our children are girls. No, I did not braid their hair. But I fed the children a nutritious breakfast, and sent them off with a good lunch: sandwiches, fruit, and homemade cookies. (Later I learned that one child sometimes traded her homemade cookies for a classmate’s Hostess Twinkies®. However, that daughter recovered from her early food escapade; she currently holds the family title of World’s Best Cookie Baker!)
Now, as a maturing adult, I still experience that autumnal equinox urge to embark on some fresh adventure. Our local tech school fall schedule came in the mail, and I studied it—wondering, do I want to take a painting class? Since the price of the workshop would buy a considerable amount of paint, or a couple of books by fine artists, I declined the temptation—while knowing that another reason is more pressing. I tire easily, and the regularity of a class would be too much. Precious energy must be preserved for family, friends, my doggie, and the activities I love to do at home.
Thus I’m learning to rein myself in on these crisp September days—just as my mother reined my wild Gypsy hair so long ago. The knee-jerk inclination to increase my pace in cooler weather must be checked—as I endeavor to maintain a relaxed spirit of languid summer days thoughout the year
Quite honestly, it helps to have pain! It’s good to have physical limits! Having always thrived on activity, I’m now discovering that it’s fun—at this bend of the road—to settle for “less”! In the midst of pain I can enjoy doing something creative at home every week, even every day. But I do not need to lock myself into outside agendas and routines.
Moses said it best: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
Margaret L. Been, ©2011
The crispness of September air does put a snap in one’s steps… my golden acts like a pup again.