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I love this time of year. I always have.
The colours. The cool, crisp air. The cozy sweaters.
This autumn has been less rainy than usual, here on the West Coast.
We have been able to enjoy sunshine, blue skies and crunchy fallen leaves.
Glorious.
The contrast of the colours of the leaves against the blue sky is breathtaking.
As I was driving along the other day the thought occurred to me that I want to shine like autumn trees do.
I've been through the early years of sprouting and growing. Emerging.
Everything new. Everything fresh.
Then came the years of blossoming and flowering.
Full of colour and beauty.
My three daughters are in that phase now.
Discovering themselves. Opening themselves up to the world.
Eventually they too will be fruitful and multiply.
I would like to think that I am still in my summer years... at the tail end I admit.
But I am turning 50 in a few months.
I can sense the coming of the passing of the reigns. The turning of the leaves.
The seeds falling so that the next generation can start anew.
But before that happens I would like to be a blaze of glorious colour.
To make people turn and look. Catching sight of me out the corner of their eye.
Causing them to pause and take comfort in my quiet, peaceful offerings.
I have always loved trees. Felt an affinity to them.
When I think of autumn trees I sense an air of confidence. Of peaceful, unpretentious beauty.
I imagine them smiling when the sun warms their expressive leaves.
I would like to be like that. Be thought of like that, in my autumn years.
When I reach them.
