Leaves and Memories

I realized last week that many of my precious memories are in and around fallen leaves of Autumn! I was walking to the Lake and stopped and closed my eyes. I breathed in the smell of the leaves; dead and decomposing on the ground. It doesn't sound like a good odor, but it is one that reminds me of times gone by from my childhood and my children's childhood and my walk through the Wheel of Life!

Autumn!

We lived with the "woods" right behind our house! Right below one of the smaller mountains in Roanoke Virginia called Mill Mountain. The famous Roanoke Star sits on top of this mountain! Anyway; this was my playground from 1st grade through 7th grade. And oh the memories of Autumn!

There is something special about the leaves falling from the trees and then laying as a blanket on the ground. There is something special about raking all the leaves into a huge pile and laying in them; wrapping this blanket all around me! There is something special about the smell of those leaves.

And this is how memories are born! And as I walked to the Lake last week; making sure I walked through the largest piles so I could listen to the sound the drying leaves made; I pondered this special gift of Memory!

I pondered how we hold on to the bad memories so hard and so long that sometimes it uses up the room in our Memory bank for the memories that hold the love and light we so need to cherish forever! I work hard these days to bring forth and cherish those wonderful memories of my childhood. The memories of my dad piling up those leaves and then inviting us to jump in them even tho' it meant he had to rake them all over again. The memories of going out trick or treating and making sure I walked right through those big piles of leaves in front yards so I could listen to the sound! Memories of standing under a tree as the wind blew the leaves off the tree and knowing that snow was soon to come and it too would fall from the trees onto me!

Leaves and Memories!

But then I began to think about my Aunt Mildred. She is in an Alzheimer's Home. She has lost most of her memories; only her oldest son is recognizable now and she cannot recall any memories from her past; not even what happened 2 minutes ago. What a tragedy! She goes through her days; she just goes through her days. No longer do the smells of drying leaves take her back to days of old. No longer is she even able to relate the falling of the leaves from the trees to the changing of the seasons. No longer does she have the ability to recall memories that can comfort her, make her smile and remind her of times where all was well with her life.

Yes, I know that she doesn't even know she can't remember. And yet I grieve for the loss of this very special gift we tend to take for granted. And what do we do, but hold on desperately to those destructive damaging hurtful memories instead of making sure we replace them with memories such as wrapping ourselves in the leaves, giggling so hard that snot runs out of our nose!

At age 60 I am determined to hold on to those type  of memories.

I invite you to do the same! Gaia is ready to touch our senses in wonderful and enchanting ways to trigger that smile, that laugh, that memory of times when all was good in our life and She was present to guide our path! Come walk through the leaves with Her, hold Her hand, and smell Her goodness! She waits for you and for me!

Blessed be!