The first crisp cool day of this season heralds in my favorite half of the year.  While many refer to the cold weather fall ushers in as a “bite” to the air, I prefer to think of it as a “kiss of welcome” to the blessings it brings.  In the coolness of fall, my shoulders relax, the tensions wane and a breath of comfort and life envelope me.  The noisy hustle and bustle of a hot, heavy summer subsides, and the days are quieter, calmer and more peaceful.  It cools my spirit as well as the air.

As morning breaks, I enjoy my peaceful moments over a cup of coffee on my back patio.  A trickle of steam curls and arises from the cup awakening my senses and becoming a part of the air around me. For that brief moment I can see how the air leaps and twirls in enchanting movement. I am delighted with the sight of leaves in their new rainbow of colors gently dancing in the breeze as if to show off their new coat of colors.  “Look at me!” they seem to say as the quiet rustle of sound breaks the stillness of the morning.  This performance of color and sound is a daily encore to enjoy before the final act when they gracefully fall from the towering trees to carpet the ground with jewel tones reds, oranges and yellows.

Fallen leaves upon the ground are not a drudgery or unsightly mess to me.  They are a heavenly, living painting of the beauty of fall. A reminder that from beginning to end, life and what is around it can offer beauty and joy if we only allow it.  It is not until every leaf has fallen and the autumn days are turning to winter, that I rake the leaves.  I rake and recall what those leaves have provided, and those moments of raking become memories of joy.  The spring blossoms that announce the birth of the leaves are times of renewal where we watch the bees attentively working to bring life for themselves and the trees they flit among.  The bold green of summer leaves give shade and comfort for an afternoon of conversation with one or more of my grown children, a dog, and at times a picnic with friends.  Then the golden, ruby change of fall welcomes more time under the tree, walks in the cool of the day, and more memories in the making.

When life brings me stresses, I go to the outdoors and time with our Heavenly Father to push them away.  For me, I find easier relief when these times occur in the fall and winter of the year. The darkness life can bring falls away.  The stress that society pours upon me fall off a little easier.  It isn’t an end, but a beginning of fresh, cool, comfort with more energetic days and cozy nights.  Today, go out into the great outdoors, watch the leaves dance and rustle for you.  Feel the kiss of a fall breeze on your skin.  Notice the squirrels and birds gathering and storing.  If you are lucky to have rain, take a moment to walk in it and feel the drops nourish your skin and mind.  Let fall bring you the peace and contentment it has to offer.  The laptop is going on the shelf now.  The autumn world outside beckons me to live in its moment.

~Sherry Heuler, Guest Author