Autumn Is Near

It was a glorious weekend. The weather was very cool at nights and warm during the day. I was able to give my poor air conditioner a rest, if only for the weekend. Summer has not retreated completely and will return this week. Saturday I slept in and got some much needed extra rest. When I woke up the house was cold because we had left windows open all night. It was great to lay in bed the night before, feeling the cool breeze blowing in the window and listening to the sounds of the night. Most of Saturday was leisurely. I was able to pretend that I was retired and under no time constraints. I made coffee and ate a pumpkin muffin as I sat in my chair with the morning paper. Such simple experiences are highly valued. Quality leisure comes at a premium. Most work nights my leisure is of a much lower quality because I am exhausted by the demands of the day. In the evening my wife and I met Chloe and her parents at a local pizza parlor. I could barely eat because Chloe wanted to play video games. How can someone three years old be so smart?

Sunday morning I slept in again but still got up early. I was feeling a need for some quiet time so I lit some Japanese incense, and played some quiet, meditative oriental music that is good for meditation. I logged on to a Zen website that has an cyber Zendo. A Zendo is a meditation room. I like this site because it doesn't really do anything except allow you to ring a bell to begin your meditation. After I rang the bell...imagine a small gong...I sat with my coffee mug warming my hands as I looked at the window. Autumn is definitely in the air. The leaves are changing if only slightly. My neighborhood was very quiet. I felt wrapped in the silence as if in a warm blanket. Actually, I had a real blanket, too. It was a gift that a good friend brought me from Mexico. This whole experience was one of those moments that I wanted to last a very long time. You usually cannot plan such a moment. They come to you like an unexpected gift. All you can do is graciously accept them and enjoy the experience. It was a gift and I was grateful for it. Amen.