My last post was about how much I love this time of year. Fall is magnificent here in the Pacific Northwest, and today had to be one of the most beautiful days I have ever experienced on this planet. I started the day with a morning walk through the forest before I had to go to work. It was a cool, foggy morning and the forest seemed exceptionally beautiful and welcoming. The bright yellow leaves of the underbrush and trees seemed to bring little bursts of sunshine throughout the forest, bringing light to an overcast day. The silence that the fog brought to the forest and the smells of the earth calmed my mind and brought me deep inside my being...something I haven't experienced in awhile. It felt good. I walked and I worshiped nature. I felt so embraced by it that when I returned home I told Michael that the forest gave me a hug. It made him smile.
For the rest of the day I felt in harmony with nature and enveloped by its energy. As I drove through the Loon Lake pass on my way to work, I marveled at the colors of the bright yellow trees against the backdrop of the dark green forest. It was stunning! The sun was just beginning to break through the fog and its first rays of light were choosing certain trees to shine on, making their yellow leaves even brighter. The energy of the trees was amazing--so alive and so present! It's as if the trees were yelling out, "Look at me!" Yet they were ambivalent to whether I did or not. It's their moment to shine, and they would do so whether I was admiring them or not.
I think the energy and beauty of the day could be felt by others, too. Everything seemed to flow in a natural and balanced rhythm. People seemed calm, open, and happy. I had several lovely, unrushed conversations with people, one with someone I'd never talked with before, yet it seemed like we had known each other forever.
On my way home from work I took a short detour through one of my favorite areas this time of year because it has a lot of aspen trees. I had the dogs with me so I rolled down the back windows in my car so each one had a window to hang their heads out, allowing them to sniff the air and let the wind blow through their fur. It was late afternoon, the sun was shinning, the light was magical, and the trees were at their peak of color. As I was enjoying the moment, the words to John Denver's song "Sunshine On My Shoulders" came to mind, particularly the verse:
If I had a day that I could give you, I'd give to you a day just like today. I'm sure a day like today inspired him to write those words. As a writer and a poet, I admire the simplicity and power of that verse. If it were possible for us humans to do so, what greater gift could we give or receive than that of a perfect day? Fortunately, nature has the ability to give us a gift like today, and I am humbled and grateful for its generosity and its continued willingness to share its beauty.
As I'm sitting here typing this, warmed by our first fire of the season with our dog Amber curled up behind me, I'm a bit sad to see this perfect day end. I wish I could freeze this day in time and enjoy it a little longer, but nature moves on. What I can do is do my part to protect nature so that we, and future generations, can continue to experience days like today. We continue to disagree over whether there is global warming or climate change, but I think we all could agree that when we're kind to this beautiful and generous planet that we call home, none of us lose.
Take a moment to enjoy the words below to John Denver's song Sunshine On My Shoulders. Wishing you a perfect day!
"Sunshine On My Shoulders"
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
If I had a day that I could give you
I'd give to you a day just like today
If I had a song that I could sing for you
I'd sing a song to make you feel this way
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
If I had a tale that I could tell you
I'd tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I had a wish that I could wish for you
I'd make a wish for sunshine all the while
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
Sunshine almost all the time makes me high
Sunshine almost always
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