Daily Musing #1

thoughts on a cold October day

Rain today. Cold October wind. Cold office, cold house, cold coffee. Maples and birch mostly bare of leaves while the oaks hang onto theirs with an iron grip to suck every bit of life out of them until they drop in spring.

My neighbor rides his lawnmower on the leaf setting then burns the leaves every night. Tonight the smoke will hang in a low, thick cloud over the neighborhood and the campfire smell will invade our house.

I like the guy, he gives us eggs from his chickens, and mows the front part of our lawn when it gets too long because my son and husband don’t think it’s important. They cut the grass maybe six times a summer, to the consternation of all our neighbors, I’m sure.

But why is a smattering of dead leaves on our lawn so unsightly?

True, they’ve lost all their beauty — no more glowing reds, bright yellows, crazy oranges and sunset peaches. Now the shades range from dull beige to just brown. But it’s autumn, almost winter here. Mother nature says the season has grown old, just as every living thing grows old.

Why the obsession with weedless, well-manicured, clean lawn? I like the natural litter. I can almost feel the crunch through my shoes and taste the musty tang when I’m out walking.

If only I could let go of my youth just as freely as the trees let go of their leaves. I fight my aching knees, wrinkled skin, graying hair. I lament all the time I wasted now that it…