Hello, Autumn

Embracing fall and the seasons of life; plus, what's on my mind

Hey friends,

Oh, precious fall — a time of sunny days and cool nights, changing colors on the trees, plenty of fresh air. I’m trying to savor this fall goodness by doing as much as I can out of doors: working, reading, writing, eating, exercising, and reflecting.

For many of us, the fall season ushers in a sense of renewal and reflection. As the summer heat fades away, fall invites us to enjoy the beauty of transition.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

For me, fall presents a gentle nudge to slow down, take stock, breathe, and cozy up with good coffee or tea. What’s your favorite part of the fall? What rituals or moments make fall special for you?

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Here are a few more items from my notebook and camera roll to share with you.

1. I’m no fan of small talk, but a few questions I’ve seen used can elevate (almost) any conversation: What’s on your unofficial resume? Where have you felt most alive this past year? What’s a moment of kindness from the past year that really meant something to you? What do most people get wrong about you and your job?
   

2. A beautiful sentiment from

   Cheryl Strayed
   , which has helped me through some troubles: “Whenever big things are hard, and frankly, big things have been hard in my life and in the world, I remember the joys of each day and each moment. Can you feel a sense of wonder as you walk through your neighborhood and you see the beautiful flowers growing in your neighbor's yard? Can you feel that wonderful happiness when you get together with friends and share laughter or jokes or conversation? Or, in my case, every day walking with my dear husband, Brian, and having the conversations we have. And loving on my cats and my dogs and on my teenagers as often as they'll let me. Those are the things that have sustained me.”
   

3. Ally and I took our van for a September trip to New Hampshire and Acadia National Park, just before the leaves began to change.

4. I’ve been volunteering for the Prison Journalism Project, a non-profit, non-partisan national organization that empowers incarcerated individuals to be a vital voice in criminal justice reform. Its mission is to amplify the voices of those behind bars.

   
   Working with a few of their writers on crafting their personal stories has already been one of the more rewarding experiences I’ve been a part of. I have gained a deeper understanding of the challenges incarcerated people face and the transformative power of storytelling. It's a privilege to help the writers articulate their experiences and perspectives while speaking to broader conversations about justice and reform. "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." — Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

   
   

5. An idea from James Clear I’m meditating on: “One of the great mistakes in life is suffering for years because you didn’t want to feel foolish for five minutes.

   • You don’t want to apologize, so you let a relationship deteriorate.

   • You’re scared of the sting of rejection, so you don’t ask for what you want.

   • You fear people will say your idea is dumb, so you never start the business.

     
     Nobody likes feeling foolish, but the feeling fades quickly. The willingness to endure five minutes of discomfort turns out to be a meaningful dividing line in life.”

Boat ride on October afternoon, Hudson River

6. A friend, Scott Gulbransen, has published his second poetry collection, Holding Hands with Hope, several months after his first collection, A Place to Put Your Blooming. Scott is a dedicated professional of the field of clinical psychology and uses writing as a device to facilitate the processes of healing, feeling, and growing.

   Here’s a preview of his new collection: “Holding Hands with Hope is a collection of poems about finding beauty in the here and now. Within Gulbransen's selected works, one will encounter themes of hope, resilience, mindfulness, and acceptance of emotional pain. His words invite you to slow down, reflect, and make contact with your feelings from a place of non-judgment. After all, ‘to feel, and to proceed through life despite what is felt, is the meaning of life itself.’”

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A few more moments from our fall trip:

We camped at a Maine Alpaca farm, then a campground near Acadia, both under starlit nights. Gazing up at the night sky revives the soul.

On the drive home, we had a quick stay in Boston. It was wonderful to hang out with some friends and family during the trip.

Celebrate your gifts,
Matthew

Parting thought: “Rather than relying on a thin, idealized hope that we will all one day just get along, we can approach conflict resolution as an art form that we are privileged to develop and hone.” -Diane Musho Hamilton