Love is All Seasons

Newbie Contest Entry

                                                                "Love Is All Seasons"

    The television was blasting away in the family room. Scott was parked for the rest of the day, watching his football games. The kids were in their rooms doing their homework. It was the usual Sunday afternoon. Lisa had planned to rake up some of the leaves that had fallen, but she wasn't in the mood. Earlier, she had put up a stew in the crock pot, made from a chuck roast purchased on sale the previous week. The whole situation was becoming a huge chore, having to count every penny.

    Walking into the bedroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Straight brown hair fell onto her thin shoulders. Gray eyes stared back at her with confusion.  Who was this woman? Did she know her? Her mouth drooped and her puckered brows sent out signals of unanswered questions. She hated the drab gray sweatshirt she wore. Letting out a big sigh, she acknowledged that this uninvited stranger would never leave. She had to get away!

    Without a word to anyone, she grabbed her jacket and flew out the back door. She headed towards the woods that lay between their house and the small lake beyond. Walking quickly, the early autumn chill filled the air, causing her to shiver.
    She was tired and fed up with everything. The long hot summer had produced the fruit of boredom. With the arrival of fall, perhaps there would be less family squabbles. They had become as numerous as the houseflies!

    Strolling through the familiar woods, Lisa was oblivious to all of its beauty.  She was irritable and just about everything bothered her. What lay ahead for them now, she wondered.  It seemed there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Her husband was impatiently waiting to be called back to the plant, hopefully. The kids were back in school and notes were coming home by the dozens!  Money would be needed for their many projects, field trips and whatever else the school would come up with during the new school year. They would need winter jackets and what if they got more snow than usual? The snow days would interfere with her job.  With more snow days, she wouldn’t be needed at the cafeteria. The whole thing sucked.  She let out a groan. "I don't want to think about any of this!" she said to no one and quickened her pace.

    She had been working toward this depression for weeks. As always, this time of year injected her with a full dose of melancholia. God, would things ever be right again?

    Taking a deep breath, she began a slow jog. Before long, she began to run. She wanted to keep on running until she fell off the face of the earth. She ran hard and before long, she was gasping for air. Exhausted, she flopped down onto a large pile of fallen leaves, shed by a large oak tree overhead. She shivered as a gust of cold air now penetrated her over-heated clammy body. She leaned back against the tree trunk and closed her eyes.

    A flood of memories rushed in, invading her senses.  Her mind skipped from one thing to the next, in all directions. The bad times had become so abundant in their lives this past year, including their friends and their families.  The news was always depressing and that of course affected everyone.

    She became sleepy and dozed off almost instantly.  When she opened her eyes, she realized she had dozed off. She was surprised at herself. She never took naps and she felt wonderfully refreshed.  Inhaling a deep, sweet breath of air, Lisa began to notice her surroundings as if it were the very first time.

    The air was brisk and the leaves were brilliant in color! She looked around and imagined herself an artist and she didn’t want to put her brushes down. Her eyes swept the landscape, drinking in all of the colors, afraid that they would soon disappear. She imagined mixing the yellows, oranges and reds on her palette! The sky became her canvas to paint her picture. She sat and drank in the beauty, savoring it all like a fine wine. Why hadn't she noticed this last Sunday, when the kids had coerced her into going on an outing? They had put together a make-shift picnic and she had done nothing but complain. She felt so ashamed now. Not only did she owe them an apology, but to mother nature herself!

    Though the skies were gray-blue in color, it only accentuated the yellow, orange and scarlet trees surrounding the small lake near by. The water was crystal clear and it reflected the beauty of the fall colors that surrounded it. She blinked several times and caught her breath. It was so beautiful!

    She became aware of the scent of the trees and the earth that held them. The leaves had a musty, but sweet earthy smell. Her nostrils flared as a gust of wind sent these now all too familiar odors back home to rest. The memories of her childhood now took hold. She remembered the burning of the fall leaves back when it was commonplace.  She and her brothers would run and jump into the huge raked piles. Pushing and shoving each other, their squeals of delight would be heard throughout their neighborhood. Her dad would tell them to quit messing around, yelling "Hurry and get those leaved raked up!" Her parents would try to hide their amusement and remembering all this, she smiled. Those past times were joyful and they took the time to really live them. Such simple pleasures! Where had those seasons gone?

    Rested and filled with a sense of wellness, she walked slowly and explored, for she wanted it to last forever. The many paths and winding trails were a haven for thinkers, writers, artists, nature enthusiasts and lovers of all kinds. It's funny, how one could discover a new path when they least expected it. She had left her watch at home and for once, she didn't care what time it was! She did not want her painting disturbed or her pleasure interrupted by anyone.

    She continued walking, taking in every sight and smell. By late afternoon, all activity in the woods began to slow down. The winds had become only whispering breezes and the world had begun to grow still. She noticed the smaller residents of the forest. They were scurrying and finishing their many chores before dark. They were making their squirrel's nests, getting ready for their winter just ahead. They worked briskly, seemingly unaware of the outside world. Nothing interrupted their work and they certainly weren’t complaining. They were just doing "their thing."

    Vague thoughts of her own chores began to nag her.  In spite of not wanting to think, she did. She thought of Scott and how much she truly loved him. Their three children caused them little grief and Lisa was proud of them. John, the oldest, was the serious one and the peacemaker. The two girls, Alyssa and Katie helped with the household chores. They had tried so hard to please her and her husband. Summer had not been easy on them, with no vacations planned or extra money to do things.

    She began to cry. When she was able to wipe the tears away, her love for her husband and children came rushing in. She hadn’t helped the situation, having her own pity parties over the past weeks.  Her heart ached for everything to be right once again.

    It was near dusk and she realized that she had better head back. Her family was home waiting for her.  She never told them that she was leaving and they would be worried. Again, she scolded herself for being so selfish. The stew would be ready and the biscuits were prepared and ready to be plopped into the oven. The hot meal would be good tonight! She realized that she was thirsty and very hungry. She hastened her steps toward home. She walked quickly and her mind was now clear. She smiled, remembering the other apple pie was still in the freezer. A few weeks back, she and the kids had gone to pick apples. Again, it was against her wishes and she had put a damper on their whole experience.  Her family would enjoy that pie and they could top it off with vanilla ice cream.

    As she came closer to the house, she could see the dim lights twinkling through the trees and she could smell the aromas of her own cooking. She made her way across the back yard and Scott rushed out to meet her.

    "I’ve been worried and waiting for you.  I was so into the game, I never heard you leave.  Are you okay?" His soft voice was anxious and was barely a whisper.

    She nodded, her eyes flooding with tears. She looked up into his eyes and quickly threw her arms around him.  She held him close, not wanting to let go. She looked up into his eyes and could see how much he loved her.

    "Everything's cool. Hey? Have I told you lately that I really do love you?"


By Janice Weinberger
Word Count 1536