The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Fall Colors: Be "Lazy" Enjoy Them; They're Here and Soon Gone

by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher-Owner

November 3, 2021

I've been so anxious for the fall colors to show their beauty – I think we all have. I know, depending on where you live in the U.S.A. it either hasn't come to you yet, or it's in all its glory.

Our grandson Drew Postle drove back to his New Jersey job at Atlas last week on Route 80. It was raining when he left at 4 in the morning, so I called him early afternoon to see how he was doing. He was driving through the first part of Pennsylvania and had gotten above the rainy weather.

Soon he noticed the brillant colors picking up of the fall folage and I was trying to encourage him to stop and take a picture. He had a time-line and was anxious to finish his last 4 hour stretch after a long day of driving, so, he didn't want to stop. But, he was enthralled with all the beautiful Fall colors.

Sometimes, a picture just doesn't do it justice anyway. You have to be there.

I do remember in 2002 driving from New York City through the upper New York's finger lakes to Hornel in the fall and it was the most spectacular sight I had ever seen. I was so wishing I wasn't alone and I could have shared it with a friend.

This weekend at home, the red, yellow, and oranges are are finally popping out in the Maple trees and others and the tops of the burning bushes are turning brillant red. The leaves on the red bud trees have turned from green to yellow and leaves on many of my bushes and trees in the backyard are changing to a multitude of colors. It's one of my favorite times of the year to see God's handiwork all transpire before my eyes.

Over the weekend I watched a 2002 clip of Mike Wallace interviewing Luciano Pavarotti in the Carriabean island of Barbados. It was 5 years before he died (2007) of pancreatic cancer at age 71, but he had really wanted to retire from singing he had said, at age 70. Here he was just 66, and taking a 40-day holiday enjoying visitors, family, and a nightly ritual of watching the sunset on the ocean beach. "It is so beautiful!"

Wallace was questioning him, why he wasn't singing and said some say he is lazy. He hesitated for a minute, with a smile and then said, "Yes, I am lazy. At my age I don't think it is a bad thing to take some time for myself."

It made me think about life, and question why so many people have lost their balance. Either it seems many don't want to work at all, or they want to work all the time!

If God gave us a commandment that we should rest on the 7th day, it must be important to balance work and a day of rest (or laziness as some may call it). It means time to take pleasure in all the beauty God has designed throughout our world, and time for pleasure with family and friends. It can be in our backyards or a trip to friends or relatives, to local places, or far-away trips across the USA to see its grand sights or a trip overseas.

I interviewed Dr. Mueller of La Harpe years back and as we visited he was also enjoying a bird feeder in his backyard outside his window. It brought him much joy, he said. He found a way with his busy schedule to be "lazy" for a minute or two and enjoy God's nature and see how many birds he could recognize that he came to his feeder.

Luckily, in our rural midwestern area, we can enjoy the fall colors with a ride along the Mississippi River along with the Eagles who dive for fish along the Lock & Dam or at the port of Burlington in Iowa. We can recall the stories of Mark Twain and the riverboats, or follow the Lincoln Trails, take in a jazz feast, an art show or festivals. The fall season comes and goes but here, we are fortunate to enjoy sunsets during all 4 seasons. Many artists and photographers have done beautiful portraits of Snake Alley during Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Farmers particularly are blessed as their work makes it easy for them to embrace stunning sunsets during Spring planting, and Fall harvest as well as various wildlife during their work day no matter what the season. A good break is when a crew of thoughtful people bring a folding table and a spread of tasty food to encourage farmers from their combines, tractors and trucks and enjoy the scenery with a meal and fellowship for a moment.

Like Pavarotti said, it is okay to take some time to be "lazy." It's good he didn't let his demanding fans keep him away from doing a little something for himself between work schedules, like enjoying God's nature, family and the glorious sunsets.

It is important to be diligent in work, show up and be accountable. But, it's also necessary to schedule breaks for yourself to sit back and witness gifts with family and friends. Don't miss out on what God gives us.

We are like the Fall colors, we are here for a little while, but soon we will be gone.