As Americans we are bombarded every day by negativity; divisive politics, civil strife, climate change, the economy, all result in stress and disquiet. It’s hard to find peace in mind, but it is possible. Take a look at the photograph above, look at it awhile, then, step away, look away, away from the bloviating politicians and pundits, away from Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, Instagram and any other grams that swarm around us like angry hornets. Look again, focus on the image for awhile. Now don’t you feel better?   

Autumn is my favorite time of year. It offers us relief from summer heat and humidity, crisp air to inhale to lift our spirits skyward, and as trees edge to dormancy leaves morph from greens to a tapestry of variegated colors. Like me, you might seek out these technicolor displays before the leaves float to the ground.  As I walked through the leaves, I was tempted to rake them into a huge pile and jump into them as I did about 100 years ago, but the thought of hip replacement stopped me. In that melancholy moment I noticed that the fallen leaves retained a lot of color and take on interesting forms as they dry out. Surfaces; asphalt, wood and an underlayment of leaves formed canvases for these graphic displays. Appreciate this beauty for the short time Ma Nature likes to show off, it will be awhile before you’ll get to soak it in again.