October

I like October.

October is when the leaves change colour and fall and (if we're lucky) we get to play in them before the rain turns them to mush. It is also when I notice the shorter days and light candles in the evening...and during the day when it's dark and rainy.

Don't take this to mean that fall is my favorite season...though it is my favorite in October. It's weird but as each season arrives, I am ready for it, and it is my favorite. Each season has redeeming qualities...even winter, which is dark and rainy much of the time, has those beautiful weeks of crisp frostiness where the sun reflects off the ice and (maybe) snow.

October is when monkey-girl was born. She was supposed to arrive in September, but refused to come out until the weather changed to rain. My mom's birthday is in October, too. And Thanksgiving. And, of course, Halloween. So, October is a good month.

Last year, October was so very difficult. Right at Thanksgiving there were two deaths in my family, my Grandad and my brother-in-law. We spent monkey-girl's birthday travelling to my Grandad's funeral. I'll always remember that that day was so beautiful. The sun shone on us and all the trees were painted oranges, yellows and reds. The first 6 hours or so, in the car, the kids were good and the scenery was lovely. The last hour, when it got dark, it rained. But our hotel was nice and monkey-girl got to play in the pool with her cousins before bed.

This year, I was worried that I wouldn't like October anymore. But I do. When I drive in the driveway and the tree beside our house looks like a huge flame of yellows, oranges and pinks. When the grass gets all lush and green from the cool rainy days. When I get to wear snuggly sweaters again. And even when the air in our bedroom is cold, and it's dark, and I don't want to get up in the morning. Somehow, it is all comforting. This is the way it's supposed to be. It is a change of seasons, but it is a change to something familiar.

Yes, I like October.