September; What’s Not to Love About the Fall?
Autumn has unfolded. I know, those of you who don’t laud autumn as the best season, focus on the fact that winter is coming. But when you love fall, you don’t think about the snow that’s coming, or about the leaves lying dead on the ground. You don’t see autumn as a pre-season. Instead, it’s the time of year you wish for when the air outside is sticky and hot and all you can do is lay still on a rock like a salamander. Maybe because I am a hopeful (or delusional) person, I always imagine we will have months and months of bright leaves, afternoon sun, and night air cold enough for a comforter but not cold enough to have to turn on the heat.
We are in the season of fabulous morning runs. We have to dodge all the runners training for the fall marathons. I’m still dealing with the tendon injury that stopped my Big Sur marathon and rendered me pathetic for my adventure race, but at least I’m running. The gift of an injury is that one’s passion crystallizes. I’m incredibly grateful to be running four miles three times a week. After a couple of weeks back, my serotonin levels raised enough that my general state of well-being was back. I was again happy for no reason other than being alive. Brain chemistry is an amazing force!
Fall brings a return to energized creativity and the need to get things accomplished, probably due to early imprints of heading back to school. My fifteen year old is in fact back at school and high school soccer is in full swing. In addition, my psychotherapy practice gets busier, probably because my clients also feel the need to get some things taken care of. I’m also busy writing a mystery novel and taking a few classes.
Thank you for all your emails. I hope the autumn is good to you.
Lindsay Nielsen's Weblog 
Lindsay, I just read the article in Good Housekeeping (July 08) and I was compelled to write you and tell you that you are an incredible human being. You will inspire many young people. The Polka Dot man was an angel in disguise. God bless.