Golden Autumn

Walking the street this is what I see underfoot -- a path of golden leaves as fine to me as is a bridal aisle strewn with rose petals, perhaps finer because this is natural, there for all to enjoy if they take the time to think about it ... I wonder how many notice. What are they thinking of that is more important than the gold laid down by Boreas, the north wind, to soften their steps wherever they are going? Mindfulness ... who has it? What would it cost? A few minutes of attention taking away from what? A cell phone conversation that is just filling time? The mental static we mostly live with as we walk somewhere, random thoughts that are almost immediately forgotten. Why not notice where we are and what we are doing?

Then when we look up this is the scene, the gingko trees shedding their leaves, displaying their awkward limbs growing this way and that ... we accept them. That's their nature; it is not graceful and beautiful ... nor are most inhabitants of the world, ourselves included. So -- beautiful is a nice thing but if we don't have it in the shape of our limbs or our physical shape, so what? we can still rejoice in the beautiful we chance upon. Like the fan shape of th gingko leaves which is so much more beautiful than the tree's limbs. Our words, acts, daily life, productivity can be beautiful no matter whether we are or not. Not a far fetched moral to draw from the analogy.

Crisp and sunny days are a joy; a little taste of winter but not yet. True autumn this week and it's lovely.