Stealing extra days in the sun while the girls are in school, watching the sun set earlier and rise later, making space in our home, for whatever the change of weather brings.
I love the rhythm of the seasons. Noticing the second bloom of lavender in our garden, pulling veggies from our pots and patches, Feeling melancholy about certain flowers as they bloom and simultaneously delight and break my heart, signaling summer's end.
And then - before the last blossom has fallen, the leaves begin to change - their vibrant colours demanding both my attention and admiration.
Another sign of summer's end, is the odd sighting of a monarch butterfly floating about, effortlessly on its epic, annual journey to central Mexico. They say the Monarch migration is one of the most spectacular natural phenomenons in the world.
If ever you doubted the power, mystery and strength of nature, just sit with that for a few moments.
I will never forget five years ago sitting in a traffic jam on the highway near our home, as dozens of Monarch butterfly's floated past us. I opened the sun roof and delighted in the sight, in their beauty and grace, and encouraged my girls to do the same.
Since their youngest of years they have been lovers of nature. To my surprise, Paige erupted into tears. Imagine the sunroof open and what looked like a "flock" of monarchs floated above us. What could be more beautiful?
Paige didn't see it like this at all. Paige was overcome with much heavier things - with the understanding of the significance of their journey...and I can tell you by the tears that flooded our vehicle, she felt this to the depths of her soul.
"why are you crying my love", I asked in disbelief,
"I am crying because they are so beautiful and they have so far to go and not everyone of them will make it...some of them will die before they reach their forest in Mexico....."
So that was when I came to understand the depths of my daughters heart. Wow. What to say to that?
I can't remember now, exactly how I responded. I think I shifted the focus to the nasty short and brutish truth of mother nature. I wrote about it at the time, on our sweet growing up, being mommy blog which I retired a few years ago when life got a little crazy.
Fast forward five years. This time last week, we happened to see one lone Monarch butterfly, floating about, meandering its way on an incomprehensible journey of over 7,000 kms .
Paige noticed it instantly and watched silently. Again we were in our car.
"look at the Monarch", she said.
"yes love, its that time of year," I replied.
"its so strange," she said quietly, "when they complete their journey and arrive at their destination, they die".
So strange.
So true.
And what a difference in a young girls perception over five years. From lamenting the challenges, twists and turns on a journey that prevented the arrival at a known final destination, instead, there is the realization that the journey itself, is all there is.
So my loves, float along on your paths and undertake your journey. Even if you are one of hundreds of Monarchs with a set destination, your journey will be unique to you and you alone and accepting that is the most beautiful and painful thing of all.
Endeavour to reach a final destination, and know that it may take you to places you weren't expecting.
There is familiarity and comfort in seasons as they change and every flower will bloom, every leaf will fall and every journey will unfold exactly as its meant to, in its own time.
Make peace with this. Accept and embrace this and the journey becomes all the more sacred.
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