Fall’s last gasp

I’m not sure what made me do it.

Most days I keep to a prepared schedule. When I start my work day, I like to tackle my highest priority items first. I’ll try to work on a presentation that’s coming due or, since there are fewer calls in the morning, I’ll write the summary for an upcoming project.

Last Friday, I sat down and decided that I needed an extra jolt of morning energy. I drove to a Wawa, a local convenience store, and grabbed a coffee. Instead of heading back home, I turned left at a T in the road and drove to a state park near my house. When I got to the park, I got out of my car and went for a walk. I wasn’t really prepared for it. My sneakers weren’t even tied all the way. The air was brisk and all I had was a lightweight jacket. But it felt right. Within minutes I was deep in the woods, surrounded by brush and tall trees.

The impromptu walk was completely out of character for me.

Autumn skies and pumpkin pies

I’m not sure where the walk came from? I’m sure I felt a tad guilty. While I was in line to get my coffee, I picked up a Bacon Croissant. I needed a morning sandwich with all its buttery, cholesterol-goodness like “I needed a hole in my head.”

Yes, the week had been a busy one. Yes, my brain was trying to tell me something.

But, I think the biggest reason I stopped: The cold morning air hit close to home. There’s still a ton of Fall left, but it’s flown by and I feel like I’ve missed it. If the leaves on the trees were a roller coaster, we’d be hurtling out of control on a downward slope.

A break in my day

So, I played hookey.

I went for a walk. I tried to get my fill of the beautiful leaves and the crunching of the dead ones on the trail. I missed the height of the yellow, red and orange leaves by a week or two. The light show and the flickering sun were still powerful. Mostly, I just took everything in.

Oh, no one noticed. I was back at my desk in no time, but my mental state was improved. I saw possibilities instead of obstacles. I saw beauty instead of ugliness. Mainly, I saw hope.

Yes, fall is a beautiful, majestic time of the year.