autumn

some things just stick with you.

probably about 5 years ago, i remember being in relief society at the boston university ward and we were all asked to go around the room and introduce ourselves as it was one of the first weeks of the new school year. we were told to say our name, where we're from, what we were doing in boston, and our favourite season (it was a new favourite every week for about a month).

everyone filed through, saying that they loved the heat of summer or the snow in winter or the new flowers of spring. then one girl got up and said, "my favourite season is always the one that i am currently experiencing."

for some reason, i will never forget that. i think it's really poignant what she said, and i hope that i can enjoy each slice of life as it comes because it's there in front of me and it's beautiful. there's something to embracing the chill of winter without having to relentlessly look forward to warm days, or soaking in the sun without aching for the weather to cool down and for change to come.

or, in my case recently, there's something to wholeheartedly enjoying the raw, hearty beauty of autumn.

we don't get a lot of foliage here in san francisco, but we do get gloriously warm days and tastes of fall color that are, since they're rare, spectacular. and the sunlight slants differently and the holidays are coming and going and i feel organic gratitude.

sometimes i go down to burlingame to babysit and i love taking long walks with the baby in the stroller through charming neighborhoods. here's what i saw the other day. lit me right up with goodness. i soaked up the season i was currently experiencing.

and...this past weekend i went with some friends on a bike ride through the stunning vineyards of napa valley. the landscape seemed unreal and the colors were blindingly beautiful. i felt like i was in a completely different world - a perfect, golden one. we sat in the sun on a hill overlooking rolls of ruddy grape vines for a picnic lunch. we rode for 16 miles through unbelievable, idyllic, sweet, astonishingly gorgeous earth. i'll stop trying to describe it now. it wast just really awesome.

i've decided that this season is my favourite, this time of life is my favourite, today is the best day yet, and the here and now is so great.