Autumn Sunshine

Today was a glorious day weather wise. The autumn chill was unseasonably cool for September in Lower Arkansas. Sunshine through the trees cast long shadows in the morning and afternoon. The world was rather still and quiet.

It is the end of summer. The sun is looking at the Earth through heavily-lidded eyes, drooping towards a long winter's sleep. The world slows down on days like this. Life is a little slower, a little more deliberate and less frivolous in its actions. Time is growing shorter and there are things that need to be done before the first frost.

I love days like this but they make me sad in a way. The fun of summer is over. Shorts and t-shirts will be packed away soon. Weather will factor into any future plans. The coming grey days of winter huddled inside seem like a looming prison sentence.

I remember a day like this back when I was a senior in high school. My BFF Patti and I were romping through the woods near her house one Sunday afternoon. We were squealing like little girls as we galloped through the piles of fallen leaves. It was a bittersweet time. We were both about to leave home and knew our days of innocence were about to be over. I think we were trying to recapture the days of our childhood that afternoon by playing in the leaves. Days that had no worries, no plans, no expectations.

I remember that day long ago on days like this. I see the long sunshine, hear the rustle of the leaves, and the echo of our voices down the hillside. It was a magical time back then. I'm happy it lives in my memory.