On Facebook, a comic by Rachel Greenberg came up on my feed, like it may have came up on yours. Entitled “Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall”, it shows the egg of nursery rhyme fame living his best life. I’ve linked to a BuzzFeed article, and I hope you will visit the artist who made it.
What I love about this comic is its essential cleverness in showing Humpty living in the moment: sitting by the fire under a blanket reading a book, picking apples, walking and appreciating the fall colors, and carving a jack o’lantern. He’s so very happy. I too am appreciating the cocooning of fall when I am home, the snuggling, the cups of hot coffee, the books. After this summer, I too want to have a great fall.
The semester has been busy, but not ridiculously so. I’ve had a couple of colds, but nothing that hasn’t gone away in a couple of days. I’m looking forward to some autumn travel: Middlemoot, a Tolkien gathering in Cedar Falls; Can-Con, a writers’ convention in Ottawa; and Icon, a science fiction convention and writing workshop in Cedar Rapids. Mostly, I’m excited about seeing some friends, both those I’ve known for a long time, and some I’ve only met on the Internet. This summer has taught me the value of being present, and being with friends.
I am also enjoying the comforts of home. What truly helps me enjoy my home is my wonderful partner Bryon. Bryon is retired, so he does a lot of things about the house. Almost all cleaning comes from Bryon. He recently remodeled the computer den area, and is in the process of setting us up with a new entertainment center and television. We go to the gym together. We make up ridiculous lyrics to songs, sung in voices we pretend belong to cats. After almost 36 years together, we are easy in each other’s company, all the rough edges rubbed off.
And I enjoy the comforts of my oldest friends. Seeing them makes me feel peaceful, illuminated, lucky, whether in passing or on purpose. Paying attention to the moment is a new gift I am now opening.
These emotions have always ridden right underneath my skin, but until the later years of my life, I ignored them in pursuit of goals, of things that I thought were important, but don’t seem so important now. Deadlines. Things other people wanted me to do. Ways in which I felt I had to prove myself. I wish I had figured out earlier in life how to do quality life over quantity life. I had my moments, but now I’m living in the dream rather than living the dream.
Winter is just around the corner, and Humpty Dumpty could also have a great winter, even though it’s not as clever a play on words. Sitting inside on a cold night with cocoa and chocolate chip cookies, looking at a crisp full moon with a telescope, watching the lights of a Christmas tree twinkle.
I know, I know. This column is right out of a self-help book. That said, trust me, you gotta help yourself.