Last night I went for a walk around the neighborhood. I had to take the recyclables out anyway, and for weeks now I’ve found myself craving the rain. Decked out in black khakis and a black jacket, I wandered down my street, singing “Here Comes the Rain Again” to myself as I carried my super-sized Candinian umbrella, bright red and white with maple leaves for decoration. I wanted to stand out in the rain until I melted away, listening to the pattering of rain against the taut frabric of the umbrella. Instead, all I ended up with was my khakis soaked to the knee and waterlogged feet despite my waterproof sneakers.
Some mornings, I want to simply roll over. Just go back to sleep, not worry, wait for tomorrow. And some days, I do just that, and then fifteen, twenty minutes later, I’m suddenly rushing to the bathroom, showering, and heading in to work 15 minutes late. Those days seem more common lately, far more often. Then again, this always seems to happen in Autumn. The dying of the evening light always speaks to me this time of year, reminding me that “No, you’re not getting any older.” All those choices in life you have to make, you can’t put off forever.