Fall is in the Air

I often take our dog Snoopy for walks through the neighborhood. She is thirteen now and we usually limit our jaunt to a one mile loop around our neighborhood. This path takes us past the elementary school that my boys attended so many years ago.

With a little chill in the air and leaves just starting to fall, we passed the school the other evening and I couldn’t help but think of the festival the school held every fall. The Fall Festival featured a spaghetti dinner and talent show. The dinner was a pretty standard version of every kid’s favorite pasta dish, complete with two big meatballs, salad and bread, all for two bucks a plate. And the talent show was a pretty standard version of elementary school-aged kids showing off their assorted musical or comic abilities, that is, until Leah Claiborne walked on stage and positioned herself behind the grand piano.

Once Leah’s fingers touched the keyboard, teachers, parents and kids would hush while Leah fed us her musical genius on a plate of Chopin or Beethoven or whatever classical masterpiece she had chosen to dish up. The word prodigy says it all. Leah was Corey’s age, so I considered it a delightful stoke of luck to continue to have opportunities to hear her play all the way through high school, especially once Corey started to focus on piano as part of his curriculum.

During the elementary school years, fall was also the season of anticipation. As the leaves changed color and the days grew shorter, thoughts would turn to the holidays. During this time of our lives, Calvin, Corey and I were on our own for Thanksgiving, which I will save for another chapter. Christmas was always spent with my parents; either we would travel to Florida or they would travel to Maryland. But the most excitement was generated by creation of “The List”. Serious thoughts about what would go on the list started in the fall. The list would be written, edited, and rewritten many times before finally being handed to the Mom as complete, but Oh wait! Just one more thing!

I never indulged my kids with many “things” during the year. But Christmas was a big deal. Of course, as they got older, the requests grew more sophisticated and so did the lists. I would receive, usually by email, a spreadsheet of ideas complete with links. It sure made Christmas shopping easier!

Now, as young adults who have spent time away from home and family, I think they realize that being with those you love carries more weight than anything you can put on a list, even though gifts are still fun to give and receive.

So with crisp evenings and mornings cool enough for gloves, fall is definitely in the air. I’m not sure if the elementary school has continued the tradition of the Fall Festival and spaghetti dinner. I have to believe that Leah Claiborne is still mesmerizing audiences somewhere. I haven’t heard anyone mention a list. But, even though it is only the beginning of fall, Calvin and Vicki have made their travel plans and will be home for Christmas.

I can hardly wait!