Autumn’s Hourglass

The colors of fall might just be my favorite of all.

The leaves shift right before my eyes — fiery reds, soft golds, fading greens — and in that quiet magic, I find myself hoping for a better future… praying for more time.

More time to see another season,

to watch next year’s trees shed their leaves again, to feel this same peace settle over me.

But the truth is, we’re all running out of time —

some of us quicker than others.

The bitter breeze carries a chill, but mixed within it is the sweetest scent of fresh-cut grass. Along with the gentle reminder that I am alive. Here to witness it all. Gosh, I love fall.

As the leaves tumble gently to the ground, I imagine them as my timer. Each one that falls feels like a grain of sand slipping through my hourglass — a quiet reminder of life’s fragile beauty.

Today, I feel lucky. Lucky to be here, on this crisp autumn day, watching one of the pieces of my heart do what he loves most.

This past week has tested me in ways I didn’t know were possible — ways only illness can.

And yet, through it all, I’ve been constantly reminded of how incredibly fortunate I’ve been. Seven and a half years into this battle, and I’ve had fewer struggles than so many others.

All I can say is — thank you, God.

Gratitude feels different now. It’s deeper, heavier, more sacred. This week has reminded me of so much — it stirred emotions I thought I had tucked away.

One truth that surfaced is how much I’ve changed. The world keeps changing too, though not always for the better, and that breaks my heart sometimes.

But still, I’m grateful. Because I get to see the world differently now. I’m learning faster than most what truly matters — and what never really did.

Someday, we all reach the end. When my time comes, I hope I’ll have left a mark —

a gentle, lasting impression on the hearts of those I love. I hope they’ll know, deep down, how much they meant to me. I hope they’ll know I tried my very best — in everything, always.

Fall.

What a beautiful time of year to remember how precious it is to simply be alive.

A big piece of my heart, on the pitch, doing what he loves most