Versão em português
August is over. It is
inevitable to see summer in its last breath, and we feel the last hot flushes
of the wind coming from the south. Autumn is just around the corner and we can
already see the signs on the tired green of the foliage, some leaves show their
last sighs metamorphosed in different hues, in preparation to bleed beauty to
our eyes soon.
Before Nature begins its
hibernation, the landscape colours will make a bright spectacle, to amaze us.
Fortunately, the gift of seeing the beauty is given to us; it is fragile but gives
us comforting feelings that feed our hope.
In my garden, other than my
still vigorous annual flowers that I take great care, there are few perennials,
which were so beautiful, but begin to lose their vitality. There is nothing I
can do to change this course, they have fulfilled their role.
A new school year has just
begun, school buses are everywhere and they are painting streets and roads in
orange. They carry the future inside the heads of youngsters, who are preparing themselves
to face a difficult life journey, with incalculable challenges. In a short
time, these children who are transported to school early in the morning and
return back home late in the afternoon, they will have grown and it will be up
to them to make decisions and lead the world.
Time goes so fast…
Everybody in this country is
in a hurry to finish the activities still possible before the snow falls. In
our region, this can happen anytime, when the summer end is close. The glacial
winds of the neighbouring North Pole will begin to blow soon and will undress
the trees.
Soon, the sky and
its currents of air will show the path of the life-giving south to the
migratory birds; they will leave, warning us with their disturbing cries, that
the time of the frigid and inflexible silence of the waters will come for us,
the time of the slow and inhospitable whiteness, hiding the secrets of
life.
But the snow brings a new
breath when daylight is missing, it reflects and intensifies the clarity that
remains for lighting the darkness. In fact, Canadians are not afraid.
Everything is ready to face the winter, so the best approach is to say "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."[1],
one day at a time.
Heating systems are functional;
repairs that still had to be made are already done. Doors and windows are ready
to prevent the cold from entering. Roofs are ready to receive and let the ice
slide down. Firewood is already stored in case of lack of power.
We still have to pick up the
paraphernalia that usually stays outside during the summer, but it can wait. It
is also early to change the tires: by law, we are obliged to do so by December
15, but we do it before because snow does not know the law of men.
Wardrobes begin to be
changed inside... clothes and summer bedsheets are going to the chest, after being washed,
and the little wools returning to the supports. Everything still slightly...
slowly but surely. Coats, winter hats, gloves, scarfs, socks in several
thicknesses, all of them are waiting their turn to wake up.
Among winter clothes,
gloves are my favourite ones. It is not a usual accessory in my home country, a
hot place most of the time. When I was a child, I was fascinated to see my
mother and my aunts very elegant with their gloves on the ancient photos, as
well as actresses in the movies. I liked to imitate their motion, which
seemed more charming with this accessory. I finally had this catharsis here, in
the winter, with my own gloves. Nothing can be more chic than holding our
handbag with gloved hands. And what a charm, then, to make the gesture to say
farewell so beautifully equipped.
Bye, bye summer! See you
again!
[1] "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
