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The Enchanted Forest - that's what I call my new home on Sand Mountain, Alabama. I tagged it with the name as soon as we drove the U-Haul onto the property in late June, partly to trick my psyche into loving this new, very different locale that I wasn't sure I really wanted. I knew if I told myself often enough that this place was a treasure, I would eventually believe it. It worked. I love my small piece of the planet, and have accepted (almost) everything about it. I wish I'd started this journal the day we arrived - it's too labor-intensive to retrace all the steps that have brought me to this point, so I will begin here and let each day decide what is worthy of documenting. It's self-indulgent, and will surely vacsillate between celebratory and borderline-depressing - but that's what life is. And I find comfort in that cycle. So here goes . . .

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Freddie the Leaf



The wisdom found in children's books is astounding - like "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf" (Dr. Leo Buscaglia) - a book I discovered in the mid-80's when I needed to talk to my daughters about life and death and life. 'Pulled it from my bookshelf again last week as I watched the gentle rain of leaves falling from the heights of The Enchanted Forest. What charmed me most is the individual dance of each leaf as it makes its final journey - as if it's giving one final gift to the tree that nurtured it. It's one last act of great dignity - refusing to go without one last beautiful act. Ironically, a very special person named "Freddie" that I once knew would describe it as "turning style all the way in" - I think you'd have to be a skydiver to understand that one - but it's a lesson I hope never to forget - being graceful to the end and leaving the world with great gentility and style. What beautiful lessons - I am grateful!
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