A MELANCHOLY FALL DAY, FILLED WITH MEMORIES AND REMEMBRANCES!

Lately I've realized that what I crave more than anything is time for introspection, time to walk nature paths by myself or with a dear friend.  I used to joke that maybe Fall was my favorite time of the year.  Now I know it to be a certainty!  There's a melancholy feel in the air, when you realize that you don't have "forever," and that life is sweet, but oh, so fragile.  Today was cooler than predicted, with winds swirling about and the leaves dancing to the beat.  I loved it, and so did a few other hearty souls.  We had a special bond, and yet we barely spoke. Smiles were enough! 

ON THIS DAY I thought of wonderful children that I had cared for and brought to parks and lakes for fun and unique experiences. I always hoped that they would remember those days fondly.  ON THIS DAY I thought of a childhood friend who was deprived of those experiences, and yet somehow I believe she knows that she's forever in my thoughts.  And ON THIS DAY, as I visited one of my favorite parks and walked the path along the lake, I thought of a young man who recently lost his life while kayaking there.  I thought about him a lot, even though I didn't know him. 

 

Here are some of the photos I took along the way, on this
melancholy day.