As autumn rushes in, her flashy colors and cold in tow,
she sets aside some places of refuge from the tumult,
places of calm, where sun and shadows balance
and peace resides.
Within each of us, such places dwell,
little meadows of reverie and dream,
where we can sit for a while and gather ourselves
when the rush of the world overwhelms.
It’s good to map them out, to keep little postcards
of them in our pockets, remembering their scents
and seasons, and sounds, returning to them
whenever the need arises for refuge, for calm.
Settle there for a while. Feel the peace.
Hear the whispers: You are welcome.
You are cherished. You are loved.