Magical moments happen when we pause and let the beauty of life infuse into our soul.

Such a magical moment happened Saturday as I raked the leaves in our front yard into a huge pile underneath our 20 year old silver maple tree.

I was absent-mindedly going through the task at hand while listening to a podcast with headphones in.

The silver maple continued to gently rain down her bounteous leaves as I raked, starting anew to cover the fading green grass I had already cleared.

The pile was nice and big. Leslie’s “Friendly Neighborhood Ghost,” made out of a white sheet draped over a tomato cage with large black eyes made out of craft paper stood as if a sentinel watching over. A half a dozen garden-grown pumpkins sat in the background, silently waiting to be transformed into jack-o’-lanterns.

The leaf rake was leaned up against the tree. The leaf blower that expedited the bulk of the task sat quietly off to the side.

I paused the podcast and stopped to look around.

The world went silent. Just briefly, and just for a moment, but silent enough to realize something was missing.

Something that should have been in that moment felt like it was missing.

My heart and soul experienced a flittering, lonely feeling.

It lasted just a moment. But it was real.

Something was missing.

My children.

My little kids.

Running and jumping into a big pile of leaves. Laughing and screaming. Throwing leaves at each other.

Falling backwards into the pile with arms and legs outstretched.

Not caring if all the leaves had to be gathered up again.

Those were magical times.

The memory is locked into my heart and soul. It’s mine forever, never to be taken away.

Leslie is the only kid at the moment still hanging around Hyde Park. She and Troye Sivan were sweet enough to play in the leaves with me for a bit and let me snap a picture.

A photograph may trigger the memory, but it could never truly capture all which my heart already had.

Remembering such moments is magical.

I leave you with a poem I wrote a few weeks ago, at the beginning of seasons turning. I call it, “Favorite Fall.” The beautiful photo of fall colors up Logan Canyon was shot by my friend Robert Scott.

I hope you enjoy.

FAVORITE FALL

Fading sun
Falling leaves
Frosty morns
Frigid eves.

Friday night
Football games
Friendly fans
Festive fame.

Finger gloves
Flannel shirts
Flowing scarfs
Fashion perks.

Friendly kids
Folksy shawls
Feisty felines
Favorite fall.
– Les Patterson

Have a great Monday! Thanks for letting me share.

Les

p.s. Take 13 minutes today to recall a magical moment that is forever locked into your memory.

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