November 1, 2010

Shorter Days

Ask anyone. I love fall. The days shorten and everything changes. I have never enjoyed the hot days of summer. Don't get me wrong, I like being outside and exploring on a warm summer day. The heat can be a little too much, though. So when things begin to change and we feel our surroundings prepare for the chill of winter...I get excited. I love the color in the trees and the way the late-afternoon fall sunlight trips through the branches. The smell of leaves is relaxing. Other fall smells come out and greet me warmly: freshly picked apples, pumpkin pie, spiced cider, and deep Cabernet. The chill in the air advises you to bundle up and prepare for the expected snows. Everything is following the cycle. It is changing. It is getting ready for a long rest under the deep blankets of white.


In these shortening days, I find myself experiencing an odd paradox. The days get shorter and quicker, yet crawl by at the same time. I find that my list of tasks seems to always exceed the time in the day. I occasionally make progress. As I busy myself with tasks, I am also looking forward and counting the days. Texas...Chicago...Beaver Creek...then...?


Perhaps a little update is in order.


The summer of 2010 was wonderful. Living in Glenwood Springs was beautiful. That valley is wonderful. Just being near the rivers was refreshing. I lived with some great people in a community home where we shared meals and time together. I worked on a Challenge Course and Zip Line in the beautiful Glenwood Canyon. I got to play all the time and work with great people. My office was outside, attached to a cable and sailing forty feet above the Colorado River. My days off were thoroughly enjoyed. I worked at a CSA farm with my roommates for a share of food. One day a week - working on the farm doing whatever needed done and sharing in an amazing community of people. The food was great. The people were even better. A new vocation - new location - new community - new experiences - new romance. That last part may have been the best part of the summer. I could go on at length about the sweet times shared with this girl - bike rides, evening walks, talks in the coffee shop, and reading in our park. Perhaps I will keep those details for my own reminiscing purposes. I will say that I have never felt better about life than during those times.


Yet, just as the seasons change, so did that. Not completely. Just little adjustments. The summer passed us by quickly while we were living in it. I needed to find new employment and my girl needed a change of scene. So, while she is in the big city, I am preparing for my next thing. I accepted a position at a Colorado ski resort, Beaver Creek, and start in December. It seemed fitting that I have this transition time during the fall. I am also preparing for the oncoming snows.


I have been spending this transition time with my parents in their sleepy little mountain town. Among my own projects, I have been doing work for them around the property and their businesses. Plenty of downtime to prepare and reflect on where I have been and where I am going. I will be taking some of that time to repair a truck that had an unfortunate run-in with an antelope. It will prove very useful in the deep mountain snowfall. Some of that time will also be spent continuing my Challenge Course training. Just a quick little trip down to Texas for a week of continued training and experience. Interspersed in the bigger projects, I write and read, sort through photography, and make plans for future adventures.


My reward will be a mid-November trip to see the girl and travel back home for Thanksgiving. The anticipation gives me energy for each day. We miss each other and are looking forward to this time. As I said, the shorter days are merely crawling along.The winter will offer opportunity and adventure. A chance to explore another part of this state. A chance to re-kindle a good friendship. A chance to further my experiences and skills, as well as gain a glimpse of the next part of my path.


I am grateful for so much. For the autumn season. For opportunities to harvest food from the land. For time to reflect and prepare. For family and friends. For apple butter and pumpkin pies made in our kitchen. For warm fires on chilly nights. For friends who need roommates. For exciting employment and chances to keep playing. For creativity and inspiration. For wine and a book. For friendships that change, but never fade.
For a girl and her love.




Trees shed their leaves and the land turns dormant. 
There is a chill in the air and sunlight is fleeting.
The snows are coming. I embrace the change.