My youngest turns 27 today. At the exact minute she was born, we will all get on FaceTime and sing Happy Birthday to her in Texas.
On my morning walk yesterday, I considered all the years where a ‘day-before-my-kids’-birthday’ walk would have been out of the question.
I would have been much too busy for listening to the crickets and admiring fall foliage.
Days leading up to the kids’ birthdays, the house required decorating – whether or not the party would be at home or elsewhere. There would be sleepovers. Party favors, outfits, snacks. Cakes to pick up at the bakery. Decorating required at least a day or two. Birthdays and holiday seasons are a big deal in our family.
But yesterday…I enjoyed a very early morning walk thinking about the past while looking forward to the future. Crickets accompanied me along the colorful path, still singing in the early morning hours.
While many past Octobers brought temperatures below 20°F by now – killing the fragile-winged chorus – this year remains unseasonably warm… 80°F straight through the foreseeable meteorological future here in New York.
A few birds chimed into the autumn cricket symphony, but most migratory birds have left for warmer states. A sizeable flock of Canadian geese flew overhead.
The squirrels rustled the drying leaves on branches, scurrying to pack their final supplies for the long winter ahead. A few ducks floated on the pond, bobbing their heads and paddling their orange feet.
The extraordinary beauty of autumn never grows old. Each October day offers something new. As the leaves change, beauty is found even in the brown, withered and crunchy leaves underfoot.
I relished the peace of walking without a long to-do list waiting, but empty-nesting continues to be an adjustment. While I love fewer responsibilities, I still miss the constant togetherness.
Happy Monday kind reader and enjoy the week ahead!
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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