Lisa A. Kramer

Author, Speaker, Theater Artist, Creativity Facilitator

When Life Falls into Place

DSCN2939I love this time of year. It always carries with it a sense of new beginnings and possibilities, even as it represents a fading of the old. The cycle of life, death and rebirth.

Perhaps my love for autumn stems from the fact that I still follow the rhythms of the academic calendar. Or perhaps it comes from my Jewish routes, with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur holding much more significance to me than New Year's Eve ever could.

Maybe it has something to do with the richness of the color, where the blue seems bluer, the orange more vibrant, the red warmer, the purples more passionate, and on and on. These colors embrace me with their warmth, and never fail to make me smile.

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I find myself more inspired and creative in the fall. I also find myself more hopeful. Perhaps the scents and flavors of the season motivate me in different ways. Give me anything with cinnamon, apple, and/or pumpkin spice and my mind takes journeys into the land of possibilities.

Apple Picking 2012

This year, despite my frustration at the craziness of our government and the challenges I face from my work, it feels like life and possibilities are falling into place, as long as I remain open to the unknown. After all, the past few weeks or so have shown me that even though the path may be unclear anything can happen

DSCN2934A few months ago, I don't know if I ever believed I would become a published fiction writer. Now I have a short story in an anthology, more coming, and the courage to send my manuscript to agents.

A few weeks ago, I never imagined I'd find the courage to start pursuing a longtime dream of mine of starting a theatre company/theatre education program. I also wondered if I'd ever feel at home in this place that I've lived in for two years. Friendships seemed like a rare commodity, and connections seemed impossible to find. Now I have a plan in the works with my new friend, Jannatha, and have arranged a meeting with someone who can give us guidance. We have a name, the beginnings of a business plan, and other things falling into place as well. We still have a long way to go, and I tremble with doubts all the time, but this morning as I walked the paths of autumn I felt in my heart that I was finding my way home.

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Today I was also reminded that often the journey is the most valuable part, not the destination. Sometimes we need to stop and take in the moments we live because they are what makes life worth living.

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So today I embrace the wonders of autumn, which brings with it the possibility of life becoming richer and warmer, and everything falling into place.