We don’t seem to get a “real” fall season. I’m not actually really sure we ever did. I’ve lived here my whole life. I have no real desire to ever leave, even though I find the traffic increasingly annoying and the people I’m surrounded by annoying as well. I shouldn’t say that and it’s not totally true, but I’ve got to say somewhere around Covid it feels like people went crazy. They were less considerate, more rushed and it doesn’t seem like its returned back to 2019 levels or that it ever will. Rush…rush…rush…

Anyway, our “Fall” comes really late in November these days. We haven’t had any significant rainfall in awhile and temperatures stayed in the high 90’s well into October. I don’t care for fall as noted in a previous post, it’s full of sad memories, mostly of loss and for whatever reason that doesn’t seem to be stopping.

My uncle passed earlier in the month. I’m imagining him with my Aunt and my Dad but in reality I’m not real sure how heaven works or if he’s there yet. You know us Catholics, we believe in a thing called Purgatory. I hope he’s in heaven with all the saints.

We have some new seasons approaching in our family. Our daughter is about to graduate high school in a few months. Transitions can be hard for her. I pray that she will be ok and trust in the knowledge that whatever God has planned for her next season of life it is good and for his glory. I think it’s hard for teenagers to think about being part of somebody else’s plan, they can be focused on themselves. I know our daughter loves Jesus. I know she questions and sometimes feels far away from him but I hope she knows that Jesus is always near. I hope when she looks around and sees a beautiful blue sky, beautiful fall leaves, the colors of a rainbow after a storm, a smile from an unexpected person, or someone with a hug to share or a word of encouragement that it’s all from Jesus. We just don’t always “feel” it how we think we should.

My husband and I will face a new season too. Less time shuttling our daughter around, cheering her on at events, yelling her name, and watching her proudly from the sidelines. What will we do? What will I do with the extra time? I’m not sure yet. Sometimes, I’m overwhelmed with sadness at the thought, well, to be honest, most of the time I’m overwhelmed with sadness at the thought. I can only go and sit at the cafe and write so often, lol, maybe more music, and more reading but I so enjoy when she shares her day with me. I love to hear about the “dramas” of the day, what she did in the choir or how practice went. My husband says not to worry, she will still talk with us but “I know it will be different,” I tell him. He usually responds, “Don’t worry about something that hasn’t happened yet.” “I know, I know,” I say unconvinced that all my worst fears won’t come true, that she just won’t need me anymore. “She still needs you now,” he says. “I know, I know,” I say.

The seasons are starting to change. Fall is turning to Winter, and there will be snow this weekend in our mountains, a lot of it I heard on the news this morning. The seasons of our life are changing too and at times they are stormy and scary and things feel like they are being tossed all around and other times like today, they are bright with a beautiful blue sky and wisps of white clouds being pushed by the wind. The fall leaves blowing in the breeze in all their autumn glory, browns, reds, golds dancing in the sunshine.

I don’t know what Winter will bring. I don’t know what the next seasons of our lives will bring but I have thoroughly enjoyed raising our daughter. I have enjoyed all of it, every minute, maybe not the anxious moments but even those can teach us things.

I can’t always be thankful for the changing seasons or not knowing what’s next, but I can be thankful for the present moment, so I’ll try to stay there more often, instead of running ahead to a future only God knows.

For today, and also for cappuccino’s…I Give Thanks!

Running update…running the Turkey Trot next week, hopefully we’ll be healthy and it will be fun. KOR