autumn remembrance

It is Labor Day, the end of summer. We have had our long-time friend Lucy visiting us these past few days. It has been a true blessing to see her again. She has known Heather since Heather was just a kid and I got to know her when we lived in Colorado Springs, before we moved to Europe.

We put up some blinds in Nic’s bedroom on Saturday, so Heather decided to put up some curtains in his room to accent the blinds. While we were at it, she also decided to put up some curtains in her office nook. She and Lucy went to the fabric store and picked up some nice pattern for Nic’s curtains and a pattern for her office. She got enough material to re-upholster her desk chair and cover her bulletin board so her entire nook is filled with polka dots now.

Lucy did the sewing for all the curtains and today she showed Meaghan how to make chocolate chip cookies.

When I came home from work today, the house was decorated for autumn. We have some nice candles in our nonfunctional fireplace now and the sideboard in the dining room is decked out in earth tones, while an autumnal runner graces our dining table.

Lucy has been storing some memorabilia for us at her house in Colorado Springs ever since we moved to Europe. She brought a lot of it with her on the plane so we wouldn’t have to pay shipping costs. Among the items were a couple boxes of old photographs along with the wedding album of Heather’s mom and dad. I had a look through one of the photograph boxes on Saturday. In it were pictures I had taken in high school and some others Heather and I had taken in college.

The kids start school tomorrow and I have butterflies in my stomach for them. I remember those days when I was a student, that feeling in my gut the day before school starts. It’s a sense of anticipation, a stirring, a restlessness on the cusp of rest.

Heather and I took a nap this afternoon, relishing this last day before school, this last day with our friend Lucy, the crisp weather, the blue sky, our old windows in our cozy living room. When we awoke we had some nice fresh-baked cookies and a cup of coffee.

As I’ve grown older, autumn has become my season of memory: long walks by the lake among fallen leaves with the woman I have known for more than half my life, my only love. These days I also remember beginning high school, since Meaghan is in that same place now. I was a new-changed soul those days. These days I shall pray for renewal, an abiding fervor for the God of remembrance.