Fresh Thoughts for Your Monday: Embrace Abundance

With the changing of the trees to beautiful autumn color, think blessing. Just as you see the change in the trees, change your way of thinking to recognize all of the abundance in your life.

As you embrace that abundance, the lens through which you see the world will change so that even more abundance will seem to naturally come to you. 

Blessing begets blessing when you direct your focus there. Being in a grateful state sets the stage for more and more for which to be grateful.

Today, this week: Use the autumnal changes to the landscape as a prompt to shift your thinking and your energy. Embrace your abundance and give thanks.

Glorious and Boisterous

A good friend recently described autumn as "the most glorious, spectacular and boisterous of seasons with its bright colors." It is such an apt description for fall and particularly for October. If October was invited to a social gathering, she would be the much-anticipated guest, the one who lit up the room simply upon her arrival. She would be strikingly beautiful with big, expressive eyes and an exotic name like Scarlet or Goldie. October wouldn't simply slip in the front door; she would "arrive" with all of the flash and excitement one could possibly muster. Hers would be the bright orange ensemble (probably with a cape and a big hat with a feather), with lots of gold bangles and ruby red lipstick. October would be the extrovert in the room, talking loudly, laughing easily, gesturing expansively and hugging generously. The party would come to life, thanks to October's arrival. But, alas, October's gaiety isn't to last. Sooner than we can imagine and certainly sooner than we are ready, October will exit and November -- tall, thin November with his long limbs and beaky nose --will arrive. He will scarcely be noticeable in his nearly monochromatic attire of taupe and dove gray, with an accent or two of charcoal brown and winter white. He might have elbow patches on his tweed jacket, wire-rimmed glasses worn low on his nose and a pipe dangling from the corner of his mouth, blowing narrow streams of gray smoke upward. November will be the guest who will spend more time observing than talking, but when he does talk, everyone will agree that his soft-spoken words are important and worthy of listening. Don't get me wrong. November isn't shy, nor is he arrogant. He displays an air of confidence, quiet and inward strength. No one will jump up and down with excitement when November arrives as they did when October sailed in, but he will make his presence known with time. While October is here, however, I plan to celebrate and have my smart phone in hand everywhere I go so I can attempt to capture as much of her glorious, spectacular and boisterous beauty.  

Snap Drizzle Pop

I've been told by professional photographers that taking a photo under a gray sky can bring out brighter colors.  So I experienced recently.  Despite the drizzle, I decided I needed a walk one recent Saturday afternoon.  The air was warm, the drizzle cool, the sky gray.  As I walked along, every color seemed to pop out.  The red trees were redder. The fallen yellow leaves were more yellow.  Everything seemed to stand out against the drab backdrop.  I was particularly taken by the maple leaves that had fallen to the sidewalk.  Their brown veins were much more noticeable than normal, revealing just how intricate they truly are.  If I'd had a camera with me, I would've wanted to snap a few pictures to capture the pops of color.  Instead, I walked in the drizzle, hoping to capture the beauty through the lens of my memory.

Rose-Colored View

A recent walk at Devil's Lake State Park revealed breathtaking autumn color in the early evening sun.  Shining against the east bluff, the sun lit up the pinkish rocks and the vegetation in all its brightness.  The scene reminded me of old 35mm color slides that turn color so that everything looks red and pink.  That day at Devil's Lake, the rocks were pinker than normal and the reds and russets stood out over all other colors.  Others out taking a walk had brought their cameras and, one by one, they asked Larry and me to take pictures of them with beautiful fall color in the background.  Digital cameras fortunately prevented me from taking a sour picture.  Larry, the better photographer between the two of us, took the camera when a foursome requested a shot of them underneath a brilliantly red maple.  I tended to only catch a portion of the tree, while Larry, with his artistic eye and still hand, captured the foursome and the entire beautiful tree.  It was an evening cast in a rosy shade for everyone who had the good fortune of being there.