While waiting for our trick-or-treaters, I’m stuffing small candy bags with tiny chocolate bars. Samwise and Emily pretend to sleep nearby, but they recognize the crinkle of treats—no matter the holiday or if they are for humans or dogs. It is a cozy way to spend the afternoon.
The woods have been enchanting lately. Plenty of crunch with every step. The trees seem almost foreign in the way they stand so straight and empty, like columns in a grand cathedral.
Lately, as the world spins faster, hotter, angrier, and louder, I pray for peace on our walks. The empty woods lend themselves well to this, reminding me of one of Emerson’s preference:
“I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching.”
At a younger age, late October through mid-December felt as hollow as loneliness in the forest, and gray skies seemed to dampen whatever joy I held. But this is the pleasure of getting older and embracing solitude. There is now a deliciousness to being on our own.
A friend…
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