I was walking around downtown Chicago with my daughter last Friday, a beautiful, blue sky day, and we noticed a crowd down at the old Water Tower building.  Barricades and police and several large black limousines guarded by very large men surrounded a big sign that simply said OPRAH.

We could hear her familiar voice over a microphone.  She was talking with somebody who apparently was an expert on fashion, and the women in the crowd were waving their shoes in the air.  (yeah, shoes)  The only thing I KNOW I heard the other voice say was, “No, you need something with a heel!” Fun.  We walked on to the bookstore.

The bookstore was decked with greens and trees ... and a big sign that said, “It’s that time of year again.”  The morning was a true escape for the two of us as we wandered and looked at things and bought some really expensive coffee ... sort of a mini-holiday.  It was wonderful.

This morning back in North Carolina is gray and the air is thick with rain that can’t decide if it really wants to commit to a fall.  The leaves are brown and there’s sort of a heavy stillness.  My morning is filled with deadlines and obligations ...exciting things like a pile of laundry snap me back to reality.  

How do you handle this confusing season?  On the one hand is decorating and baking, parties and gifts.  On the other hand is the same old pile of dirty clothes, a dusty bookcase and short days.

Is there a way to level out the mountain highs and the dreary lows?  What do you do to keep your focus on things other than filled calendars, social obligations and dirty laundry? 

I have some suggestions, but I’d rather hear yours.

(THAT is a challenge)  :)