Autumn in Golden Patina

Chilly rain and gusts of wind swept through me wishing I had grabbed a warmer jacket. Sliding into the bucket seat of my son’s car, I fluffed my straggly wet fro.  “So, let’s go buy those cinnamon donuts and pumpkin coffee.” The back of my hand swiped my mouth, watering in anticipation.

“Yep,“ my son replied, looking over at me with a mischievous grin. “We will do that but we first we must do this,” he said as he took a quick turn into the dim storybook-like woods.

My eyes opened wide. Deeper into the foggy mist he went, taking one turn then another.  Then he slowed down. Before us, the giant maples and oaks stood tall, their sodden dark branches swooped low, dancing ever so gently to the windy call.  Light drops of rain skipped on crimson and golden leaves, accenting the soft color, embracing it with the brilliance of the master’s brush. Its delightful atmospheric design was as if clipped from an epic movie… surrounding our view.      

Neither of us spoke; the majestic scene burned in our hearts.

          ***

Another autumn remembrance comes to mind. I was much younger, living in those years of becoming, with a mound of issues to figure out. It was my second year of college and decisions had to be made. And while I enjoyed this school as a commuter, it was way too expensive to continue. There was a major issue, like where to live.  Home was not a sweet place to live anymore…had not been in some time. Then one day, with a disturbing exchange of words, I found myself on the rainy doorstep, surrounded by piles of all my stuff.

Yes, again it was a damp autumn day as I rode about, wondering what my next step would be. Sleep in the car in a grocery parking lot?  Call an aunt or uncle? Demand more hours at work? Hmm. Slowly, I drove into a nearby park and sat. Rain eased, allowing a peek of colorful leaves, lovely in the dim mist. Then a flit of sunlight sifted through dampened branches, accenting their bold color.  Hope… for this dreary day, promise for me.  Yes, perhaps I could stay with a good friend tonight until, well, maybe I could figure all this out. The heaviness in my chest lightened as I turned the car around.

This was the beginning of a new me.  I was now free!

Some years have passed since those days. I am married with four adult children. As a family, we have shared so many autumn reminiscences…  raking mounds of leaves, then jumping into the crunching pile; taking family walks in nearby parks and buying those just-right pumpkins. Then we carve our personal designs into these pumpkins and display them on our doorstep. Also, there was special artwork like ironing leaves in wax paper and using a full box of crayons to create our own harvest drawings. Finally, the fresh pumpkin would be scooped out and baked into tasty pies, breads and cookies, and washed down with a cool glass of cider.

Autumn. Yet there is so much more. I recall an evening some years ago when out to a restaurant tucked in the upper hills. With anticipation, my husband and I chatted with excitement as we inched our way up the winding mountainside road and turned into the packed dirt parking lot.

We gasped.

Before us rose another huge mountain. Sunlight skipped on every cliff, branch, and leaf as its rays swooped lower, decorating with a smoldering palette of crimson gold and auburn. Accenting the dimming shadows in every crevice and branch.

Now silent, we stood very still, taking in this awesome sight.

Yes, life had been good.

And still is …

I am now awaiting a special gift from the Town, “Plant A Tree Program.” Recently, there was a knock at the door. Curious, I answered to find a kindly lady offering me a tree.  Wow! I had longed and prayed for this, for many of our trees had become diseased and died. This new tree would shelter us from the summer’s sweltering heat and keep the lawn from turning brown. And most of all, it would make me smile. Being it would be a red maple with leaves to rake up and jump into… I knew it would do exactly that.

… “and that’s how I live it.”