Living in the Moment

My Dad used to say that he would enjoy fall a lot more if it didn't mean winter was coming soon. And he didn't like the winter. He was a man who loved being outdoors in nature especially up the canyon. I guess I'm a lot like my dad. Spring has always been my favorite time of year. It means warm weather is coming soon, it's not cold, it's not yet hot. And this year summer didn't stay long enough.

But around the end of August I decided to try something new this year. I was determined to enjoy every last second of fall and not think about the cold coming. We made a couple trips to Vernal. The canyons on the way are always so beautiful with the changing colors of the leaves. I wish I was a better photographer because I would have loved to be able to capture the colors of green, yellow, orange and red. However, for those rides I just lived in the moment of looking at how beautiful they were. I then said something that shows how much I live in the future. I asked Lala if the leaves turn in Evanston or do they just fall off the tree. At that point, I honestly couldn't remember noticing the leaves changing colors here in town. But I have now.

About a week ago I had to walk into my apartment complex from the road due to some work on the parking lot. As I walked around the side of the building taking the shortcut, I walked past some bushes. They had turned the most gorgeous shade of red. I thought about coming back and cutting some of them and putting them in my apartment. Would they stay pretty very long? I wasn't sure, so I just stood there admiring their beauty, living in the moment.

I have had car problems the last couple of months. I only drive to and from work. So I take sandwich fixin's and keep in the fridge. But if I eat in my office, I end up answering the phone. So I eat in my car. And I enjoy every moment of sunshine, sometimes opening a window partway to feel the cool breeze.

Today is feeling more like winter, but somehow it isn't as horrible to know it is coming. Maybe that's because I've had a wonderfully lovely fall.