The Generosity of October

October has come and gone. Ten of the twelve months of 2023 have come and gone. Yesterday has come and gone.

Here I am, this morning, wondering how it all goes so fast. And especially wondering how my word for the year—generosity—applied to the last month. Sadly, it feels like our world and country have been experiencing generous amounts of suffering, violence, fear, bad news, loss, war. I am a careful consumer of the news, or else it pulls me down and drains my energy. Yet, it must be acknowledged, and I also then consider if I will be immobilized or mobilized by it all.

I can’t fix it all, and I don’t need to marinade in it, but I can take small actions to contribute to the good in the world. I can bring kindness and calm to my interactions with others and myself. Maybe the day goes a little better. Maybe the negative is countered with positive and some hopeful energy builds.

Being out in nature is always an experience that builds energy in me. October was quite generous with beauty, transformation, and awe. It started warm and ended with a covering of snow in this part of the world. It started green and transformed into oranges, reds, yellows, browns, purples.

I captured numerous pictures throughout the month and these two poems sum up the generosity of October. Nature grounds me and never fails to deliver something of note.

Thank you again Laurel for my word for the year. It continues to enrich my daily experiences and gratefulness.