November has long been one of my favorite months. Yes, it tends to be dark, with cloudy days and the beginning of cold weather for those of us in the northern plains states.  October has now morphed into another summer month in my book—climate change has made a huge difference here. But, with the middle of the month now upon us, we are turning the chilly corner into the beginning of pre-winter—clearly cooler, but raking and gutter cleaning still timely—a month later than my memory of years ago. The clincher, daylight savings time, happened a couple of weeks ago and it is dark so early; 4:30 PM is the latest for a walk in my neighborhood now. I love arriving home from my 45 minutes work-out to see lights on in neighbors houses and daylight a memory. An invitation to retreat and cozy up in the warmth of home and lamplight.

I book time at my lake place every November in hopes that I’ll see the autumn descend real-time. I love to watch the monochromatic landscape glisten in the fading sunlight and cross my fingers hoping for a nor’easter to shake things up on the shore. There is nothing as beautiful as a full moon shining over open water in the North Woods. The anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald ship on November 10th is a milestone ceremony to remember and honor those lost in Lake Superior storms. A clear reminder that Mother Nature is in charge for those who lean toward the arrogance of feeling omnipotent.

November has always beckoned me to shut out the world and during the stillness allow myself to breathe deep and take stock of my life. Sometimes there is a reckoning that results in a change in direction. More often, it is a well honored retreat that allows reflection and review of my checklist for the year. Sometimes, it allows me to think deeper and to review the checklist for my life.

This year is marked by signals hard to ignore. Three of my high school classmates (class size of 50) passed away. My third novel and first thriller was published a year ago today, and as of today I don’t have a work in progress. After three books in four years, I need a break to allow my muse to come calling.  I rolled off one of my non-profits board after twelve years, and will roll off the other by the end of this year. And, I’m not filling in the time….on purpose.  It’s time to review the checklist of my life and consider how I wish to spend my time.  As I am a champion multi-tasker capable of managing many roles and activities this idea of checking things off without saying yes to new jobs is new and somewhat frightening. Happily, I have identified my impulse to take something on merely to clutter up my calendar and delay the reckoning of how to address my next chapter. Instead, I’ve embraced the idea of allowing myself to drift a bit and possibly stumble into new intellectual or artistic pursuits, spend time deepening my friendships and family ties, finding new friends and travel destinations. And… spending more time at the lake!

Right now, I’m excited about working on my checklist for Thanksgiving. Nine for dinner—including the grandchildren this year 🙂 Lots to be thankful for! ALSO Happy Birthday to Behind the Lies. One year out in the world!

Maren