PRESSED-NOT DEPRESSED

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO WHEN WE (USED TO)TRAVEL IS TO VISIT A CEMETERY.

I LOVE THE HISTORY. I LOVE THE FEEL OF THE LARGE TREES, BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS, AND PEACEFUL LOCATIONS. I LOVE THE ANCIENT STONES ; THEIR SHAPES, SIZES, AND STORIES.

AND I ESPECIALLY LOVE THESE PLACES IN THE AUTUMN. LAST YEAR WHILST ON TOUR WE VISITED A FEW GORGEOUS CEMETERIES ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN CANADA WHERE ONE HAS THE PLEASURE OF EXPERIENCING THOSE VIVID REDS.

LIKE MANY OF YOU I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED THE FALL AND IT IS MY FAVOURITE OF ALL THE SEASONS. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME HOW TO TAKE A FEW OF MY SPECIAL LEAVES AND PRESS THEM WITHIN THE PAGES OF A BOOK. MONTHS LATER I WOULD FIND THESE LARGE, RED OR YELLOW MAPLE OR OAK LEAVES DRIED OUT BUT PERFECTLY FLAT AND INTACT BETWEEN THE ‘LEAVES’ OF A PRECIOUS NOVEL .

AS I GREW OLDER AND I WAS BLESSED TO RECEIVE FLOWERS FROM MY BELOVED I WOULD TAKE AND DRY THEM IN MY BOOKS. AFTER WE HAD BEEN MARRIED SEVERAL YEARS I TOOK ALL OF THESE PRESSED MEMORIES , PLACED THEM ON A LACE BACKGROUND, AND FRAMED THEM WHERE THEY HUNG FOR MANY YEARS IN OUR BEDROOM.

NOW THAT I AM IN THE AUTUMN OF MY LIFE I CAN STILL APPRECIATE THE SPLENDOUR OF AUTUMN ALTHOUGH I CAN’T WALK AS FAR. I CAN CONJURE UP THE MEMORY OF FOLKS BURNING THEIR LEAVES AND THAT WONDERFUL (ALTHOUGH NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY) AROMA AS I SKIPPED ALONG THE SIDEWALKS DURING DUSK ON A HALLOWE’EN EVENING WITH MY FRIENDS AND SIBLINGS.

I THINK OF THE WAY THE LEAVES SOUND AS THEY CRACKLE UNDER MY FEET AND I LOVINGLY REMEMBER THE JOY ON THE FACES OF MY OWN CHILDREN AS THEY JUMPED IN THE HUGE PILES OF LEAVES THAT WE’D JUST RAKED UP. HA HA.

PERHAPS IF YOU ARE BATTLING SADNESS DURING THIS PANDEMIC TIME ONE OF THE MOST UPLIFTING THINGS YOU CAN DO IS TO TAKE A WALK AND BREATHE IN THE SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF AUTUMN. REALLY LOOK AROUND AND SEE THE BEAUTY AROUND US .

AND MAYBE PICK UP A PRETTY LEAF OR TWO AND PRESS IT IN A BOOK FOR LATER. COVID : THIS TOO SHALL PASS . BUT WE CAN KEEP SOME OF OUR MEMORIES OF AUTUMN ALIVE DURING THIS LONG WINTER BY OPENING A GOOD BOOK ….AND FINDING A REMINDER OF BEAUTIFUL DAYS GONE PAST.

THESE MEMORIES ARE FOREVER PRESSED IN MY HEART.