Autumn Memories

September 15, 2009

Shooting Star Autumn keychains

Falling stars, falling leaves... both are wrapped up together in my childhood Autumn memories.

I grew up back East in the 60's. My parents must've been happy that we weren't teenagers or college students or old enough to be drafted. It was a good time to be just a kid, an oblivious "sheltered from the news" kid. We were free to run over to the neighbors' yards to play ball, make mud pies, or play hide and seek. It was before Gameboy and even Atari. We spent our free time making up games or changing rules to play with our friends. My parents were strict about bedtime though, so in the summer I remember that most of the time we were in bed before the sun had even set. It was so difficult at the time to hear kids still giggling. Now I find it very decadent and wonderful to occasionally get in my PJs before the sun is down.

Which brings me to Autumn... along with the colorful foilage, the wonderful smells of decomposing leaves, the lack of humidity... it got dark early enough for me to lay on the cool grass and look up at the stars!! I was fascinated by the sky and the fact that there were more stars in the sky than grains of sand on earth. It blew my mind each time I tried to understand how if one were able to travel faster than the speed of light, one could return to earth and find everyone older than oneself. Oh, and what about that fact that the universe is constantly expanding... into what?? WILD! Yes, it still fascinates me.

My father was a pilot and he, of course, loved the sky as well. When he was home he would sometimes join me and tell me about falling stars. Almost every time he saw at least one, and I was always looking the wrong direction. I began to think that falling stars were in the same vein as unicorns... THEN I saw one! and another!

Now, I'll get up at 2am if there is a chance to see a meteor shower and I have! I've stood out on our deck in my nightgown and sweatshirt til I'm shivering, and watched the beauty and wonder of what I now know is a fragile universe.

May you let the wonder of nature and creation into your busy life...