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“How could anyone ever tell you, you were anything less than beautiful? How could anyone ever tell you, you were less than whole?”

— Libby Roderick, How Could Anyone lyrics

Sunlight on autumn leaves is an incredible sight. It fills my heart with awe and gratitude.

October—at least in Indiana—is full of bright colors and crisp winds, along with leaves floating off the trees and dancing through the air. It’s a time of miraculous change! It’s also a time for slowing down, letting go, and preparing for winter’s long, dark nights.

Like nature, we too need to honor the cycles and rhythms of our lives. We too need to learn when to rest.

Today, I allow myself to feel comforted. I am in good hands with Spirit. I am cared for and loved. I can relax. I can take some time this day to nourish and refresh my soul. This day I can set aside worries, stress, fears, and anxieties.

I will slow down. I will enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning sun. I will breathe in peace. I will take a leisurely walk. And I will allow myself a day of care.

When we gently care for ourselves, we begin to care for the planet and all that we love. The spectacular beauty of nature is no different than the magnificence of our own spirits. But to better recognize the splendor both in and around us, we must feed our spirits with loving-kindness. As Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way points out, we have to give ourselves time to “fill the well.” An empty well serves no one.

Permit yourself time for some simple pleasure that brings you joy.

After a day spent strolling through the fields and observing a grasshopper snap open its wings like a prayer, poet Mary Oliver aptly asks, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

In joy & gratitude,

Diana