It is autumn and the pleasures are so easy…

Autumn in Pittsburgh

As you know I had a love affair with summer last year. This summer, I was so distracted by my own affairs that I failed to appreciate summer's pleasures.

This year, fall has presented its own special appeal. It has been full of colors, afternoons have glistened with the most golden sunshine, and evenings have had the right amount of crisp in the air.

I had forgotten how much I used to enjoy fall, until today. Today I saw a little girl jump into a pile of leaves. Her face expressed her obvious pleasure. She was unconcerned about messing up her hair or appearances. She was liberated and completely enjoying the moment. It was an act of pure joy.

Seeing her reminded me of how easy life used to be when pleasures were simple. As I grew up, my days would brighten because of other things—designer sales, looks from a boy that I thought I loved, first kisses. Somehow the leaves lost their appeal after I discovered those things…

Unlike the leaves, the other pleasures were not without consequence. Designer clothes cost money, even those on sale. Boys may make you smile, but they may break your heart. And, kisses are wonderful, but they were not promises. Until today, I hadn’t thought about the easy days for a long time. However, I hope the memories stay fresh for a while.

For the remainder of the season, I shall look longingly at every pile of leaves. Hopefully, I'll resist the urge to live out the memory though. It takes a lot of work to rake leaves. A girl my age who messes up a pile of leaves might just get arrested! :-)