Autumn

Changes continue to flow through my days. My job is changing to fewer and perhaps no hours. My father-in-law is heading back to New York next week. Our days are often sunny and moderately warm. The evenings cool down and I sleep comfortably.

It’s the long good-bye before winter. It is a luxurious good-bye. We’re greeted with beautiful blue sky this time of year. The colors assault my eyes. Deep reds, blaze oranges and pale golds peep from summer’s green. They congregate in stands on hills. Leaves start to fall and disappear into the browns of tree trunks, fields and late fall.

The biggest change in our lives this year has been the inclusion of Dwayne’s dad into our home. Dwayne often speaks of the autumn of our parents’ lives. Fall is what prepares us for winter. I never have been as aware of this as I am now. We watch as his dad slows down and things become harder for him. I have begun to understand this cycle of life. Dwayne grew up in a nursing home. He watched many people grow old. This is a new experience for me and it has been exclusively with his Mom and Dad. Mom’s autumn was very, very brief. Dad is having a long and luxurious autumn. The colors are vivid and bright. As leaves fall, we become accustomed to those changes. We are privileged to spend his fall and winter with him. Life is a gift; tenuous at best. I’m learning to love this time with Dad as much as I love autumn in central New York.