It was one of those crazy, stressful days when my son begged me to take him to the pumpkin patch and spend some time with him. I was sitting at the dining room table trying to get a deadline in for the law firm I was working for. I was only an intern and barely making enough money to pay the bills. This job was important to me and I couldn't have anyone bothering me. It was difficult being a single mom.copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdkGzOtzEl
"Mommy, please!" He frowned. "I want to go. Can we go to the pumpkin patch? I really want a new pumpkin for this year. Sophia said her dad made her a Minion pumpkin... I want you to help me make a Minion pumpkin too, please? Pretty pretty please with a cherry on top? I'll be good this year, I promise!" copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVm0dEBk6V
"Why don't we walk around the yard for a while?" 176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlPSrNzvc3
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I needed to get rid of the stress from all of the paperwork anyway. We walked to the backyard and I was grateful to have had an open yard like ours. It was one of the perks of life in the country. Autumn in my backyard was like magic. As we walked hand in hand, I felt the crisp wind as it blew across my face. Leaves fell one by one. The ones already fallen whirled in the rhythm of the wind, dancing around our feet. Dawson was enchanted with this and began picking up leaves of all sorts of colors. He smiled as he looked up at me, with his childlike blue eyes. 176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TCrnOnRJo
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"Why are they so beautiful?" copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡ116n1k2CF8
I pondered for a moment, thinking of what the season meant to me. I had never paid much attention to it before this point. "I suppose the leaves are beautiful because it's their gift to the world. After giving us so much during Spring and Summer, they want to let us know how much they respect us." 176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12ETKiQTDV
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"Really?" copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QNCyZI4Gn
"Yes, really," I said. I didn't want to get too scientific with my boy. He wouldn't have understood the concept of chlorophyll and the different pigment names for the leaves. copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHpm5qH73m
We walked under a maple tree whose branches were almost completely bare. Dawson dove into the leaves and laid down on his back, looking up at the sky. He picked up the deep scarlet leaves, throwing them in the air. copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCb5XG4ptx
"Mommy, it's snowing leaves!" He laughed. copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡGznucWtV0a
I couldn't help but smile. It was so wonderful seeing my son so happy. How much had I missed of him, having been so tied up with my paperwork? In him, I saw the innocence and even the wisdom of Autumn. My heart broke when I realized that I hardly knew Dawson at all. I knew as I joined him and laid down next to my baby boy that things were going to be different now. I was going to take him to the pumpkin patch like he wanted and we were going to carve a pumpkin together. I was going to be the mother he needed. copyright protection172ＰＥＮＡＮＡigRIDX8k5c
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