The neighbor’s rooster crows as the Sun blazes through the trees, rising above the horizon like mist over water. Sunlight highlights the fog hovering over the meadow, makes prisms on dewdrops, and sets the autumn woods ablaze with gold. The fall colors are at their peak – brilliant and bright right now.

I walk slowly, savoring the bite of cold on my nose, the steam rising from my teacup, the call of crows overhead, the splash of purple from the climbing asters still blooming in all their glory, and the brilliant red of the blueberry leaves.

No longer do orb weavers’ webs block my path, nor caterpillars munching catch my eye. They’ve been replaced temporarily by daddy long legs clinging to everything, and leaves wilting into winter sleep.

As the days grow shorter and the sun dips lower in the Southern sky, autumn’s red and gold signals for me that it’s time to slow down, retreat, turn inward. Today, I am grateful to walk with the rising sun and find peace in the fading light and brilliant leaves of autumn.

What magic is autumn showing you these days?

What is autumn’s message for you?