Falling Leaves
She would ask me- what’s your favorite season I would tell her “Fall” without hesitation. It’s the crisp blue sky, the air that bites in the early morning and the breathtaking display of color. As soon as I saw the first leaves begin to turn, my heart melted. I am not ready for fall and yet whether I am ready or not- I cannot pause the beautiful display that is about to unfold.
I knew it when the tiniest leaf swirled from the sky and landed at my feet. Had she been with me, she would have picked up the bright red leaf and added it to her treasures. She would collect leaves of every color, thinking each one more amazing than the others. The collection would grow until her pockets were full and then she would start filling mine.
It was around now that she would start talking about our annual trip to the farm and the pumpkins she would bring home- one for her and always one for Sammy. The rule has been- any pumpkin you want- you have to be able to carry it from the field. She would assure me she would be able to carry her “most perfect pumpkin ever.” She would wander through the field, always taking each one in and not giving her choice away. She always ended up with a perfectly round pumpkin, a beautiful stem, and always fitting perfectly in her arms. Each year the pumpkins got progressively bigger sitting on our stoop- waiting for Halloween.
I say I am not ready for fall yet I am not even sure what fall will bring this year. There are only two things I know for sure:
I know that each falling leaf will be Catherine’s gift to me. With each vibrant leaf she will be showing me all the glory this world still holds.
I know I will make the trip to the farm and on a crisp morning I will find the most beautiful pumpkin and carry it home- my gift to her.