Autumn
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October memories
“So I like best of all autumn, because its leaves are a little yellow, its tone mellower, its colours richer, and it is tinged a little with sorrow and a premonition of death. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor of the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age.” – Lin Yutang The following short essay began as a journal entry after my father died. Later, it was published in the October 1998 issue of Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion. It’s also included in my essay collection, Writing Home. Lately I’ve been thinking of these lines from Anne Mary Lawler’s poem…
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Celebrating October
“October is the month of painted leaves.Their rich glow now flashes round the world.As fruits and leaves and the day itselfacquire a bright tint just before they fall,so the year near its setting.October is its sunset sky;November the later twilight.” ~Henry David Thoreau, Autumnal Tints You don’t have to look hard to find poems, essays, or quotations that celebrate the beauty of October. I copied today’s quote in my journal after reading Thoreau’s Autumnal Tints during my first fall semester in college in 1972. Today, it’s still my favorite quote for the month. October is the soul of autumn, inspiring moments of reflection as well as fall color tours and…
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Creative cycles
“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks. Its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.” ~Cynthia Occelli Nature often reminds us that growth and creativity are preceded by change or “complete destruction.” This is especially true in the fall. Here in the Midwest, some of our trees are just starting to drop their leaves and seeds, and soon will stage a brilliant color show before shedding completely. With that in mind, I’ve found that the best way through a creative block — or any sort of problem — is to…
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The real scary stuff
“I’m not afraid of werewolves or vampires or haunted hotels. I’m afraid of what human beings do to other real human beings.” ~Walter Jon Williams Spooky season is here. Driving through our neighborhood this week, I’ve noticed block after block of homes decked out with creative Halloween decorations. I get a little thrill every time I spot a porch aglow with orange and purple lights or a family of skeletons gathered on someone’s front lawn. In my email, I’m getting long lists of scary movies to watch. Psychologists suggest that ghost stories and horror films can empower us to face our fears and anxiety while we battle our own demons.…
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My Halloween story in Bella Grace
“Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows’ Eve.” ~Ray Bradbury Bella Grace is the first magazine I reach for when I want to calm down, escape the hard news, and tune out the white noise around me. I often refer to it as a grown-up picture book, with dreamy images that never fail to transport me to another place and time. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to get my work published in the Autumn 2021 issue (Issue 29). My essay, “I’ve Never Outgrown the Magic of Halloween,” is featured in…
