Crunch Time

With all of the strangeness that has been 2020 I am so glad that we have one ever changing constant, “Mother Nature”. The earth is still spinning on its axis. Days become nights become days again. What a relief it is to be able to go outside here in Australia and find some autumnal colours. This season seems to be particularly bright. Maybe its because of being cooped all this time? I have certainly grown tired of my white walls. But being out, being able to go for a walk or journey further than 5 minutes to the shops wow. I can see it in other people too, this time we have had at home.

All of a sudden we have rediscovered time. Time to think, time to be present, time to appreciate what we have. Time to reconsider what we view as important or what has value, to coin a phrase from the Japanese house clean out lady what sparks joy? And, now that we are coming out of this ‘lock down’ what am I going to hold on to what sparks joy in me? Finding a park full of fallen Plain Tree and amber gum leaves certainly sparked joy in my dog and a memory for me. Just how satisfyingly simple yet wonderful is crunching through autumn leaves? Now my children are older and less inclined to do anything outdoorsy (unless under duress), I remember their smiling faces throwing fallen leaves into the air. Clouds of gold and yellows, red and orange falling all around and then piling them up to jump and run through them. Then doing it all again magical. Now i find myself doing that with my dog and its brilliant! Kicking a crunching through a mound of leaves is awesome why did i ever want to grow up and stop doing this silly, simple and wonderful thing?

So, now that lockdown is easing we are allowed to venture out do we just go back to normal after giving mother earth a breather from all the industry and pollution? Do we keep doing what we did or do we keep at this new pace? Should we take time to savour our surroundings, keep up the gardening and growing a bit of veg? Look up and out at the sky. Breath deep, take in the air. Take in the moment to realise where you are, who you are and what you really want in your life for you and your loved ones. It really is crunch time.