As I write this little musing, the rain is battering down on the leaves of the maple tree and the wind is shaking the wet leaves free of their home on the branches where they have lived their whole lives. It is time to let go and find a new place in the world.
I step outside and feel a familiar and welcome crispness on my face and pull my collar up a little. I love the cool as long as I dress for it. I love the smell of this time of year, a pungent mix of ripe and decay that reminds me of the cycles of life upon which we all travel.
In every moment we have an opportunity to connect with our createdness, but the fall seems to throw it more vigorously in our way, unavoidably beautiful.
And this Sunday, our Guest Speaker, the Rev Dr. Ray Aldred, Directory of Indigenous Studies will guide us in exploring our relationship with the land, the creator and all created beings, including one another. The book he co-wrote with Matthew Anderson, “Our Home and Treaty Land” has stimulated lively discussion, and this is a chance to go deeper with the author himself.
Please be sure to plan to stay afterwards in the lower hall for a bowl of soup and a chance to ask questions and have conversation less formally with Ray. And as an extra treat, Ray’s daughter Kat will bring her artwork to share.