What Is It About September?

September has Arrived

Fall is in the air. You can smell it; see it; hear it and almost taste it. I can almost touch it. The quality of the air feels different. It is the most glorious season for me. My Grandaughter insists it is because I was born in September. There is truth to that as for me it represents fresh starts and new beginnings far beyond the calendar New Year.

At this minute, the sun is streaming through the south facing windows at my daughter’s home. The cat is curled up in a state of total relaxation. I have a cup of coffee close at hand. It is visceral, this sense of abiding hope, joy and beauty. And it has nothing to do with the reality of any of the demands or obstacles in my life. It is simply the gift and grace of this September day for me.

I see this energy in my Grandchildren, too, who were not born in this month. First day of school was yesterday and they are filled with plans, dreams, friendships. “Awesome day,” was the rallying cry from both of them.

It is so easy to take a day for granted and declare it good or awful depending on what happens. Yet, when we move out from ourselves and look back with a wide angle lens we see the sheer beauty of  today and the incredible good fortune of being alive amongst the people we love. This is no small matter.

I want to remember

So for today, I want to remember how lucky I am. That if this was my last day I want to be aware of my surroundings and be an appreciator of all the beauty and support in my life. And not succumb to a utilitarian view of measurement – in my favour or not in my favour. Imperfection is part of existence. Some things we can improve and others we can’t.

I have never related to the “bucket list” idea, although it works for most people. For me, it is less about “what would I be doing if” and more about how would I do this thing now, if I knew it was the last thing I would ever do.

And as always, I skirt back to the ordinary. Our ordinary encounters with the people who cross our path. The ordinary tasks that we are responsible for. The ordinary meal we prepare for dinner. The ordinary chatter with our neighbour. And the extraordinary good fortune to be able to notice these things at all.

I hope you create moments to notice the beauty and preciousness of the day amidst the turmoil that sometimes confronts us. Pause and notice your breath. Wait to respond. Sleep on it. Take actions now to change what can be changed. September is a great month to get the ball rolling again.

May you notice the wondrous moments in your life. You may be surprised how most of them are small, easily overlooked, taken for granted kind of things. Noticing them, however, allows us to live large.

Notes

Note 1:) Hoping to get new internet service this afternoon after 12 days of several people trying to fix it. It is important to recognize when something can’t be fixed and you have to start over. That realization happened last Saturday.

Note 2:) Guess what. It is now 5:53 PM ET and we are back in business with connectivity. Whew! Thanks to Omar from Bell, who came from Toronto to help with the back-log. We were fortunate to get this set up so quickly.(see note 1)

Note 3:) I so appreciate you stopping by. Don’t hesitate to let me know, if there is anything I can do to for you.  Warm wishes, Trudy