September 2nd

  Blog #21

September 2, 2012

      It is humid and about 90 degrees.  I am taking a walk around the lake for the first time in a few weeks due to the starting of school and the death of a friend.  Though only the beginning of September, the path is full of dead, brown leaves. It seems sad. 

      I notice that that there is a man, his wife and two small girls in colorful sun dresses standing by the edge of the path offering free cold water bottles to the passers by.  I would love one but my hands are full, because I am carrying my five pound weights.  They are smiling and seem genuinely joyful.

     As I continue to walk, I notice that among the brown fallen leaves are many yellow, heart-shaped yellow leaves from linden trees.  They are beautiful in shape, but they seem to have prematurely fallen.  The leaves seem metaphorical for people who have lost “heart”, lost their spirit, lost their courage, lost their zest for life.(I don’t even know why my mind went in that direction.)

     Then, on my second lap around the lake, I see the sweet family again. All four of them are smiling hoping I will take their offering of a bottle of water. I am glad that I saw them: they are more cheerful than the leaves.  As I observe them, I am thinking that they have not lost heart.  I wonder why they are special.  Then, I understand.  On the ground, beside the man’s foot is a small, tattered Bible.