I love Fall. Sweater weather, changing seasons, outside facing cool breezes holding the warm hands of our sons or daughters or spouse. Autumn, to me, is the best of all the seasons because of college football, Thanksgiving dinners with family, and tryptophan-inspired naps on comfy couches. With two sons having birthdays on (or very near) the Autumnal and Spring Equinox, I find it fascinating that their mom and dad's birthdays are right near the Winter and Summer Solstice. Well maybe fascinating's a bit much, but at least interesting. I posted a Summer Anthem about six months ago ...
So here's my Winter Anthem:
A life with hearth and inspiration aflame deep within, from a source bigger than oneself, yet remains untapped because bigger and better is just down the road apiece, around the next bend, leaning up against the snow-buried signposts of success and fulfillment and forgiveness.
A life where there are no regrets because we've left it all on the frozen field, with bloddied knuckles and scraped knees and perhaps a toothless grin, knowing that those saddest words of fountain pen, "what could have been," are no longer for us and ours.
A life with friendships and loves and family trudging up snowy hills with snowboards underarm and funny hats on the head keeping ears warm, and crunchy snow underfoot as laughter accompanies snowballs hitting their mark, a face, a back or windshield. A working fireplace warming a den with a silver and gold and green tree in the corner and an oven full of chocolate chip cookies warming a kitchen, and somewhere "It's a Wonderful Life" plays to a contented few enjoying the smell of winter all around them.
A life with long drives home in the middle of the frozen night, heater cranked up, and two sons asleep against car windows leaving parabola of frosty breath that disappear as fast as they were made, skis on the roof, and iPods and Game Boys hanging around the necks of boyhood playing for their slumbering owners happily with batteries full ... of potential.
Do you have a "Winter Anthem" Dear Reader? Let us know by clicking on "pithy remarks" below!
