The approach of Autumn each year brings with it a time of reflection for me. Some folks say they get tuned in with springtime and new growth. I like the Fall though. Trees turning into rainbows of greens, reds, oranges, and yellows. Crisp cool mornings with the warmth of the day coming in late afternoon. I like how the season eases into what will become the cold of winter. I enjoy how the crispness of the air during this season wakes me up.

I recently returned from a week away from home. I came back feeling crabby, ill-at-ease, and "stuck." I spent a few days feeling as if my being stuck was about not knowing what to write here. It was during one of my daily rides, on a cool sunny day, that I was hit with the more accurate perception that I was feeling stuck in my daily life and that is what caused my mental blank.

How thankful and grateful I am that I can get outdoors and exercise. Physical movement always helps me get my mind back on track and often brings clarity of perception and thought. These days riding my bike is the exercise, occasionally it is my aikido training, once upon it was running. Regardless of the form of movement, I know that it helps me be healthy and strong. It gives a chance for reflection and a pause from the busy-ness that comes with being wife, mother, individual.