Falling leaves

"Avoid inflation and future price increases.
Everything is handled, rest easy."

Yesterday was the first day of autumn. 

The heat of summer is over.  The sun still shines brightly, but the air is cool and invigorating.  Football is in the air.  The leaves are changing to their brilliant fall colors; some already are falling.

Falling.  Fall.  The words remind us of winter ahead.  Bleak, frigid winter, when the last leaves have fallen.  The words remind me of Charlie Brown, of "Peanuts" fame.  Charlie Brown, standing by the tree, staring pensively at its one remaining leaf.  The last leaf, the last leaf to cut loose, the last leaf to fly away, the brave little last leaf, Charlie rhapsodizes to himself.. 

"The last leaf to die," Charlie notes with a sudden change of expression.

And in that vein, what mail would be more appropriate for me to receive on the first day of fall than a reminder from the "Neptune Society" that "Time stands still for no one."  So many things to do, so little time to do them.  Ah, yes.

For example, planning for my own cremation.  That last little leaf, before departing the tree, assuming he was a prudent little leaf, would have made arrangements for the lighting of the bonfire that would consume him upon his arrival on the ground.

Or, as the Neptune Society reminds me sternly:  "You are the best person to deal with this responsibility now, while it can be handled without stress or unnecessary expense." 

Sorry, but now I already feel stressed.  Even with quite a number of leaves still to fall.  But thanks for the reminder, folks.

Happy Equinox, folks.