A French Ending

I write this on the first day of September which always signals the onset of autumn to me even as I prepare to fly back into the land of endless summer.  It has been a wonderful and restorative month.  There will be much to digest and act upon over the coming months as we settle back into the routine of home which is already beckoning with the start of school business for the children this coming week.

Our two week retreat came to an end all too soon yesterday. The second week ran by much faster than the first, rather like the grains of sand that slip through clutching fingers.  It was such a happy and busy time: from the quiet power in the shrine room to long conversations and planning with friends; sweltering heat with a dramatic storm and time for self reflection and clear thinking.  Completing the course is always a strange experience; the echo of activity whispers on the air amidst the fresh silence and as people disperse I feel the ending of things keenly.

We finished our month in Europe with a lazily long lunch in my favorite restaurant here, Auberge L'Esperance. This quiet gem in Le Buisson-de-Cadouin is at its best on a sunny afternoon like today’s when one can eat on the shaded terrace, full of whimsical fancy and delight.  We whiled away the time with desultory conversation and superbly crafted food. Tomorrow’s journey across the ocean to a certain big hearted canine creature who holds the corners of all of our hearts awaits us and my spirit is ready for home.