PHOTO: Mary van Balen October came so fast, I didn’t notice its arrival. That is unusual for me. Decades ago, moved by the exuberant beauty of an October day, I wrote a song celebrating just that. Waiting up til midnight on Sept. 30, I sang in the season, year after year. (see October 1, 2009 blogpost)Once I had children, we sometimes waited up together and sang in the lovely month that held not only amazingly clear blue skies and flaming trees, but also my birthday.
We had a number of October traditions, the most recent being my emailing my now grown children to wish them a happy October 1. This year, however, I was just too tired to remember. I had had a busy week: a webcast and a retreat and all the preparation that attends both. I worked at the department store on Sunday, Oct. 1, and the only time I really thought about the day was when I was driving to the store.
The sky was not the clear blue I like to associate with the month. Instead, grey clouds hung overhead. The trees caught my eye, though. Their leaves were beginning to show red and orange.
“Wow, the trees are turning early this year,” I thought as I passed maples and gums. And then I remembered. It was October. When September blew by, I didn’t know. I clocked in and worked through the day, tired and thinking mostly of getting back home and going to bed.
Finally, around 7pm, I walked toward the car. Then I heard that small sound that indicated I had a received a text message. I slid into the front seat, flipped open my cell phone and saw the message was from my daughter. I opened it.
“Happy October : )!”
I smiled. This is a season to celebrate. Not only magnificent skies and vibrant colors, apple cider and donuts, or walks in the woods. Also daughters who reminds me to celebrate when I am too tired to remember.
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