When August comes I begin to think of autumn. It has occurred to me that I spend a lot of time outside between my Woods Walks and the Writing Porch…3 or 4 hours per day. The Woods speaks to me when I take the time to listen. I am closing in on a year of almost daily Woods exploration. Perhaps I am a Woodsman. The Woods are quite different from winter to summer. During the winter I am the Old Man of the Woods while in the summer I am but a visitor among many. I have seen more deer this summer than I observed in all of the other seasons combined.

Fall is my niche. Fall is my freedom. Fall is my joy and happiest time of the year. I think about my family while I meditate on the glories of nature. I think of my brother Brock who broke his ankle in another woods and I was one of the first to see it online. Often my old friend Steve comes to mind and our many adventures that seem like yesterday but indeed have been many years ago. At times I email another old friend Brent and so enjoy our renewed friendship after again…so many years. I reflect on Jeff and Margo and our wonderful visit over Thanksgiving.

Aaliyah joined us for pizza last Sunday. What a delight she is! She is a poet and an artist and she is wise beyond her years. I love Chess…I understand that Aaliyah loves Chess…

Saturday Night Live is one of my favorite television programs. I have been watching it on a regular basis since the 1980s. When I began watching they were beginning their 15th season. There was a funny segment on the show called Deep Thoughts By Jack Handy. I am a fan of deep thoughts. Albert Einstein one of our most renowned physicists developed the Theory of Relativity by thinking. We must not sell short the worthy exercise of thinking…

When we accept what a person or leader tells us is the truth because they say that it is…we are a bit naive. I watched a thoroughly enjoyable Netflix program regarding Cults last night. Cult leaders learn to tell their prospective followers what they want to hear. They research the things to say to us that will move us. Politicians and preachers are notorious for what is called ‘Code Changing’ whereby they say different things to different groups in order to elicit their support. We live in a society where money is the ultimate yardstick…the ultimate ruler…

Who is selling me now…should be the question of the hour. Why is a person saying what they are to me and what response do they hope to engender?

To understand yourself is to understand others.