The Next Place

By: Peggy Crowley Clutz

A chill has been in the air lately and oak trees have been dropping their leaves. The lake doesn’t look quite as inviting as it did just a few short weeks ago and the boat traffic has stopped to a trickle. Gone are the jet skies, boats pulling tubes with children laughing, and friends stopping by for a chat and a glass of wine. The dock looks so empty now that fall is here. Chairs, tables, and all the summer toys are neatly placed in the dock house, safe from winter storms yet to come. There are still warm days and enjoyment in hearing the geese honking as they overnight on the shoreline, and I wonder just exactly where they will end up on their migration. I find it amazing how they are fine-tuned to know when and where to travel to their next place. The next place — do any of us know where our next place will be - here or somewhere out there? I hope it is somewhere safe from any storm.