ENJOY: Cut-flower bouquet from my mother

"Don't just say, 'nice flowers,' and go onto something else. But look at the flowers, let them impress you." -Brother David Steindl-Rast

September has always been a favorite month of mine. With September comes back-to-school (I love school!) and a return to structures & routines that make my Capricorn heart pitter-patter. Autumn also starts seeping in day by day; a cool breeze, then a fresh apple, a dozen warm cider donuts, all the while green leaves begin bursting into blended rainbows. I like September.

This September is unlike those that came before. Nothing feels very easy, joyful, or vibrant. So, here is a little bouquet to bring us a bit of joy:

These are from my mother’s backyard garden. She and my father still live where I grew up. As long as I’ve been alive there have been flowers, or tomatoes, or herbs, growing out back. The past few years zinnias have become one of my mother’s favorites to grow (also a favorite of the neighborhood squirrels to eat). I love how cheerful the colors are, and how the pollen creates a whole second flower at the center. Gratefully, she generously shares bouquets with me throughout the summer. And if I’m off to the Adirondacks to visit a friend, or need a last minute birthday gift, I can stop by and count on her to wander out back, go “snip, snip, snip,” and hand over a bundle of beauty.

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May you find joys this September, no matter how small they may seem.

Seek them out, then notice them fully. If possible sit with the moment. As you do, perhaps you can think to yourself, as Kurt Vonnegut urges that we do often:

If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.

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RESOURCES

A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut

PODCAST: Oprah with Brother David Steindl-Rast: Happiness Begins with Gratitude

SEPTEMBER SOUNDTRACK: Indian Summer by Carbon Leaf