Dear Kid,

Fall is one of my favorite times of year (the others being Any Nice Day ever). It seems to me fall has a wonderfully disproportionate number of nice days.

Booker and I went out early for his morning walk today. I was determined to avoid another episode of Curious Puppy and the New Blacktop so we went before Roxie was out.

It was still dark, the occasional streetlamp giving me a shadow about 100 times taller than I’ll ever be. It was dark enough to see the stars, and the Big Dipper, Orion, and Cassiopeia accompanied us on our way. The weather was just right for shorts and Samara’s old lacrosse jacket. In other words, perfection all around.

Only one or two cars passed us as we sniffed along, pausing to inspect each and every blade of grass. I like the feeling of being (more or less) alone in the world early in the day. No computer, no phone (I just realized I never take a phone on my morning Booker walks–huh), no one else. Don’t get me wrong–I love my laptop and my cell and other people, but sometimes it’s nice just to have a few quiet minutes.

You might assume I would use the time alone to think and sometimes I do. But today I just let my mind go. I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, I wasn’t trying not to think. (OK, I thought a little about keeping Booker away from the blacktop.) I was enjoying the morning, taking a minute to appreciate the early quietness. There is something very refreshing about taking a few minutes every now and then just to let my mind relax.

By the end of the walk, the sky was lightening and it was the start of a new day.

Hope you have a great day with time for a few mind relaxing moments. Taking time to think of nothing is important too.

Love, Mom