If you don't like something

change it;

if you can't change it,

change the way you think about it.

  ~Mary EngelbreitThe petals of the flowers are tattered. The leaves of the milkweed have been eaten by caterpillars. The bay is not so full of boaters, and the shots of the hunters are just beginning to be heard. The birds are literally flying south . It is the beginning of fall and it is a time for me to adjust the slower, peaceful pace of the village.  

It's time to find  new ways to explore my creative self expression. I want to celebrate the coming months. Maybe it's time to go back and follow a quieter way of life that is in the rhythm of the birds and animals. I don't want to hibernate, but flying south sounds better every year.

I'm not ready to see the neighbors going south and the village get quiet. It seems like we were just getting into the swing of summer and it's already time to study the fall colors and see the sunset in a different spot. I'm going to make the most of it with cookies in the oven, hot chocolate, and the fun of helping our kids get settled into their new home. Besides, M might take a class with me at the gym this fall. I'm not holding my breath.

When we are no longer able

to change a situation,

we are challenged

to change ourselves.

~Victor Frankl