We’ve turned the calendar page. It’s a new year, a new month, a blank slate; we begin again. We’ve been here before, yet we’ve never been here before. We’ve flipped the page, started a new something, and entered into the unknown prior to this, but it’s never been today before and never will be again. 

Deep breaths—how will you greet this day? 

It’s in a child’s eyes the first time they see Mickey Mouse. It’s in a parent’s face when they meet their new addition for the first time. It’s in the eyes of an individual when they connect with that person or animal who’s made a huge difference in their life. 

Remember when the important things in life were playing with friends, seeking adventure, and making forts? Remember when you’d wake up excited to draw chalk art on the driveway, play tag on the lawn, or catch fireflies after chomping on your ice cream treats? For some reason, as we age, the fun seems to shift to the background of life and the more mundane takes center stage...why is that? Sure, there are bills, laundry, taxes, and such— but if we’re lucky enough to have those things to manage, we don’t have to permit them to remove the focus from the fun in life, right?

It’s October. For many, October means pumpkin spiced everything, apple cider always, and endless fall festivals. It brings about leaf-peeping season, Boston’s Head of the Charles crew race, and the simplest and grandest of costume parties. Having moved to San Diego, my October means the same as my August and September - just the way I like it, but it means that those who wish for the wonder of a crisp fall day need to seek it out to make it happen.