There is a certain nostalgia that arrives with crisp fall weather, dried leaves, and cracking the ice puddles on the way to school that makes me a little homesick. There will be a Halloween party at school tomorrow and I think back to the days of trick-or-treating with friends, fall camping expeditions, swim meets and the delight in the thrill of the upcoming winter. I find myself wondering: when did this elation subside? It may have been the new environment, people and life that subdued this last fall, but it seems it has been a while since I took the time to really absorb my surroundings thoroughly.

Fortunately, the feeling has returned: the smile that starts deep inside when I see the sunshine streaming through the orange maple leaves, the exhilarating sensation that runs through me every morning as I step outside on my way to school (still to return is the same feeling when I start my runs a few hours earlier), and of course, treasuring my moments in the sunshine :)