Another beautiful fall day. Everything looks so golden these days. The light, the trees, the leaves scattered everywhere. Especially in early afternoon light, as we drive down windy roads on our way home from work and preschool. I can’t get over how beautiful this time of the year is. An entire hill shining golden brown. Or rows and rows of trees that are either yellow, orange or red. Pumpkins and orange flowers lining up houses. The contrast of the blue sky against all of this golden orangeness.

And how temperamental, how fleeting. One minute sunshine, next minute clouds. One minute the gorgeousness of the sun setting low in the sky, the next minute darkness. Perhaps that is what makes the Fall so special.

It also feels like I’m seeing this with new eyes. I don’t remembering witnessing this same beauty the last couple of years. My life has so much revolved around Anjali – my point of focus and undivided attention. And now as she is growing and so am I, it feels good to relax my attention a bit – let it broaden and take in my surroundings, the people around me and take some moments to receive this grace.

It isn’t often in life when we feel graced. Graced by presence, by friendship – inner or outer, by abundance – of good food and good health. It isn’t always that we feel fortunate, that we do the things we love and there is so much right in our lives. There are so many struggles in life, so many unknowns, such little in our control – that it can be hard to remember the graceful moments – moments which flow, which touch us, in which we love and are loved. When we are in a place of grace – those small unbidden moments – driving down the road and watching birds take flight, or wind rustling the trees outside the window or locks of hair falling over our sleeping child’s serene face or stepping outside the car, rushing to catch up to work, and stopping for just a moment to feel the contrast of fresh cool air touching the face, the breeze flowing through the hair. These small moments of grace uplift our lives, they bring delight and pause. They touch our hearts so that the ordinariness of our lives is taken to the next level : to sacredness.

Everything becomes sacred – because it is the now. And it does not last. It takes on this preciousness, whose worth only time can unfold. And it is only by relaxed attention, by leaning back instead of forward, by receiving this moment and appreciating this pause – that we can live in this space of sacredness.

So if you make your way to this sacred moment. Stay. Just for another moment.

Peace to you, S.