Seasons of Hope

It has been way too long, since I reached out to you my friends, on this big beautiful planet. My apologies for not communicating sooner but we’ve all been dealing with quite a lot recently, haven’t we? What a crazy time for the world on so many levels…

The arrival of autumn has given me the inspiration I needed, to write once again thankfully. It has arrived here in Austin, Texas with cooler temperatures finally, instead of the triple digit temps we had endured for over 40 days consecutively, just a month ago.

Autumn has always been one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. As a young girl, one of the things fall signaled, would be going shopping for new clothes with my mother, for the start of the school year. It marked the beginning of new expectations, as well. The new friends I’d make in school, the new teachers for my next grade level I was entering and just all the new possibilities that were in store, as the fall season unfolded.

I also loved the cool, crisp feeling in the air autumn signaled. The freshness of the cooler temperatures made me feel more alive, after a long hot summer. Not to mention, the leaves changing into the beautiful palate of colors, that would be everywhere I looked. And best of all, who can remember jumping into a pile of leaves that had been raked together in their yard? I sure do!

What simple, innocent fun…

I know for many of you, this new school year, is unlike any other before for your children. Sending them off to college is wrought with concerns, you never imagined facing. Or going back to in-classroom lessons has levels of protocols in place we never fathomed. Or perhaps, you’re still doing virtual learning, as an available option but the children are all missing their classmates and friends immensely, after this six-month marathon we’ve been enduring. Talk about change on so many levels.

One thought that keeps me grounded and hopefully does for you as well, is that we are incredibly resilient, beyond what we may have perceived ourselves capable of being. It brings to mind a piece I wrote recently, with a writing group from my church. The topic I chose last month was transcendence. Actually, more specifically, I wrote about a self-transcendent purpose in life and how it creates a feeling that one’s actions are important, for the world. Empowering a person to persist even in the most appalling circumstances.

I want to hope it’s our ability to see beyond the day to day reality of this pandemic, that we will transcend through this period on the planet, to a place of renewed community. Reaching out to others and doing so in whatever way we possibly can. I know I’ve been the fortunate recipient of such kindness. Each day I try to find a way to do the same for others.

We will come out of this better I honestly believe. And will return to connecting on core, fundamental levels in such ways as…

-Picking up a phone and having a conversation, instead of just sending a text to connect and say hello.

-Or perhaps continuing having meals with family gathered around a table, instead of everyone coming and going at various times.

-Or perhaps neighbors continuing their weekly gatherings in driveways, I’ve read about. Creating more community and connection than ever before.

Those situations haven’t presented themselves, as much for myself, since I’ve only lived in Austin a short time. I do call family more often than I did in the past and those conversations are definitely more grounded, than ever before. We speak of our daily experiences, big or small. It seems we have a better appreciation of each other nowadays. What a gift. Thank you, Universe, for this great growth!

I continue wondering how things will evolve, after this virus is no longer the threat it is, once a safe vaccine is readily available globally. And I can’t help but believe there will be a “shift” worldwide. People have learned valuable lessons. I must believe society as a whole will have had time to re-prioritize their goals. And I hope and pray that we transcend to a slower, more connected way of life, that is beneficial for each other and for this fragile planet we all share as human beings.

In closing, here are a few images from this past week, in Austin. I believe they capture some of that fun fall feeling and that child in us all, running to jump in that leaf pile in the yard.

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I did a full moon kayak paddle Friday night, on Town Lake in Downtown Austin. I went to watch the bats emerge from the Congress St. Bridge. I was not disappointed and got into my own Halloween spirit. Austin is still living up to its reputation of being a dynamic, fun and slightly “weird” city.

Happy Fall my friends!

A hui’ ho (until we meet again)