The weather here is giving our souls a little bit of what they have been craving. Days in a row where clouds cover the sky,  some precipitation and a great deal of leaves falling to the ground. When the boys were much younger we spent a lot of time outside in the rainy wet leaves of our backyard. Which extended to a beautiful estuary and our own secret forest place called slug alley. Where we could always be certain no one else would be there. In fact we were always so startled when another nature enthusiast stumbled upon our secret playing space.  It can be easy for me to long for what was and to see what is around us as not enough. But the magic truly does live inside of each of us and in general has little to do with where we are living.

 

It started with me wanting to do a photo shoot. There were so many leaves swirling around I was certain there had to be some amazing shots out there. The moment was right and both boys thought it would be a good idea. Before I knew it we were taking this show on the road. There were leaves being tossed and my growing up boys, one much taller than I, were jumping in puddles just the same way they did when they were all suited up in their rain gear.

 

Watching the two of them together in this what I would normally call not so natural space I saw what I have been missing, the true magic of all those puddles jumped in, leaves thrown and natural space explored was living inside of each of us. It was our willingness to step outside and connect with one another.  We were what made slug alley come alive and we could do just the same on cement streets lined with house after house.  We are what makes the memories sweet not the space around us.

As a mama so committed to protecting my boys childhood’s I can get overwhelmed by seeing the places where I question the decisions we’ve made along the way. And miss out on seeing what really matters in this journey. Which is constantly showing up with love. Agreeing over and over again that no matter what is surrounding us, physically, emotionally, I will be standing there placing the highest priority on our connection, partnering repeatedly with the human beings I have been blessed to call my children.