Friday, November 5, 2010

Autumn Gift

We step into the juicy cool crisp of a November morning. Smoke from the neighbor's fire curls around our faces and I feel myself breathe, inhale Autumn.
 Little people clamor for boots and gloves and scarves and coats....so they can do this...


                Yes, become like little children....exultant, exuberant, plunging, knowing the joy of NOW.


           
                    To think that every day gifts are waiting to be discoverd right beyond the doorstep.


































One time, several years ago, we eagerly anticipated the emerging of our Monarch butterfly from its chrysalis. These little stinging bugs are what greeted us instead. I did not think these insects were beautiful then. Today, though, they seemed beautiful. I wasn't expecting something else.
 Walking along the road,  we found that one of our chickens had been hit by a car. Mary Margaret turned it over with her foot, and we had a lesson on decomposition and the return of life to the earth. The children were fascinated, not repulsed to see the process of life and death.



The gift of sky breadth, of swollen shadows and billowing white


A treasure to bring home



and a reminder that dear Oliver is well, and I am so thankful. (I painted the saying above the door the day he went to the hospital. It brought me much peace and solace over the following months.)


When I think of what may have happened to Oliver, and how scary and out of my hands the whole experience was...I just want to embrace each of my children and shout, "I LOVE YOU! YOU ARE A GIFT!!!!" Remember, this is what our Heavenly father wants to say to YOU!
YOU ARE A GIFT!