When I first feel that cool fall air in the morning and see the leaves change and pumpkins start showing up everywhere, I always think back to the fall when "Tribute" was born. It was many years ago, because my son Nick, who is now 33 was about 10. According to my journal, this is how it went.
"When I was a younger mom I decorated my home for each holiday
- even St. Patrick's day took a day of my time to make everything green.
But Fall and Christmas took days.
Of course my friends were all engaged in these same activities,
making their homes look festive for the season.
One year when my son was about ten or eleven, I had just finished a masterpiece on my mantel for fall.
I called my friend Pat right over to admire my handy work... and admire we did.
Nick, just in from school joked as Pat came in,
" You have to see my moms Tribute to Fall".
Ever since any decoration for a season has become known as
"Tribute" to Christmas, Fall or whatever season we are in.
Well, a few years back I was in bed, sick. I just didn't have it in me to get "Tribute" out.
I had a phone call from Sue, the most concerned of neighbors.
Her first sentence was "I hear you might not get your Tribute up!"
It almost sounded like our country was being invaded or some such disaster.
She was that upset!
I found out that if I was not well enough by the first week of October that Sue, Colleen and Pat would be over here making sure my tribute was up in all its glory,
because it just can not happen one year.
It seems a small and very unimportant thing when you look at the state of the world.
Wars, hurricanes, tornadoes that take peoples lives and homes.
But what if all neighborhoods were like mine, where people were so concerned that they would come and put some fall leaves up just to see a smile?
Somehow, when I look at it that way it seems as big as world events.
It seems more important. Friends loving friends, looking out for each other.
We are all so different yet because of love we are the same. "
We have put up "Tribute" for others when they didn't feel well. We take each other to the hospital,
we sit with each other, comfort each other, laugh and talk and have fun together.
Each fall as I put my leaves and pumpkins out,
I am ever grateful for the beautiful world I live in, for the friends I am surrounded by,
for a son who still has a funny sense of humor, who makes me laugh,
for traditions, for those who continue to care,
no matter what comes our way.
