Today I took Freedom out for a stroll down by the pond. We have to navigate fallen branches from the winter, spider webs and blackberry bushes that seem to want to take over my part of the world to get to the spot I wanted. As we’re standing there a bee comes along and lands on a leaf next to me. I watch him as he cleans his front legs, he then proceeds fold his wings in as his body visibly relaxes. I don’t ever remember see a bee kick back.
Freedom and I are standing under a gargantuan cottonwood tree with the pond twenty feet away. A slight breeze kicks up now and again, warm from the days of summer and still succulent. Freedom stretches her wings each time. The first leaf signaling the beginning of the change flutters down in front of me. I have chills, I love the fall. I watch it, greenish yellow as it melts into the rich foliage below, I knew it was a tired leaf. Then more leaves started coming down by ones and twos. I watched as they came to greet us. I leaned in and put my ear on Freedom’s chest. I could hear the rhythmic beating of her eagle heart. It moved her feathers and my skin. I marveled at how simple and beautiful this day was and yet… I am one of the few ever to do this. I stood like that content in the approaching scents of the coming change. I know how damn lucky I am.