November 3, 2009

The golden colored big leaf maples that have been illuminating the hillsides of Seattle for the past month are beginning to shed their canopies to the ground making a new crackling sound when I trample the dry leaves under my feet. It’s a new and joyful experience when I take Max out for his morning walk. Although he stays at my side, he really wants to run and chase the foliage that flies up in the air as we keep up our fast gait. A seasonal shift is about to occur; something new is about to begin.

One of the new things I’m going to be doing is using my fingers on a keyboard to write a blog. I’ve never done this before, but then about one year ago I didn’t know how to make stained glass windows either. I asked for some expert help from a mentor, invited a friend to make this new learning event even more fun, bought a few supplies (including a huge supply of Band Aids) and got busy creating something new. Now that I have six beautiful windows under my belt, (and a few scars of honor) I’m ready for another new challenge.

I’m going to begin writing once a month or so, about things that contribute to our sense of wholeness. There will be blogs about relationship issues like time spent with each other, priorities, communication ideas, intimacy and sex, and how to create a new life when the kids leave home. There will also be entries about mental health, friendships, creativity and spirituality. There’s really no limit as to what topics we could find interesting.

I’m wondering how you are interpreting this seasonal change. Each seasonal change can help us get back in touch with the natural cycles of life, and our primal instincts that are tuned to the natural world surrounding us. Sometimes we forget that we are an integral part of the earth, losing our focus we become anxious and depressed. It's time for a counterweight! When was the last time you walked to a viewpoint and just beheld the beauty of the mountains and let your eyes relax in your sense of vision? Did you take time to notice the full moon that flooded that garden with silver last night? When was the last time you took a walk along the seashore to take in the cleansing sounds and smells of Puget Sound or another body of water? Have you called a friend for lunch lately? Seen any good movies?

What would you like to begin or change in your life? Many times people THINK of making a change but end up doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. Guess what? Nothing changes! (This is also known as the definition of insanity!) So what would you like to change, in your relationships? In your personal goals? In your outlook? Maybe there’s a place of creativity that has been beckoning your attention for some time. If you’d like to give me a call, we could find some time to talk about it…but for today, I’ll just put the question out there… How will YOU answer the CALL OF FALL?