Come September, Come Right On In

Wall mural above the artists gathering. It was painted there some months ago. I was across the street in another building when there it was, outside the window of an artist's studio. You never know who's watching.

To me, September has always been more like the beginning of a new year.   It was always the time we went back to school as kids, you know, the day after Labor Day as God intended it.  But really, it does seem to be the month when everything begins again.  Sure the leaves are getting ready to turn brown and fall.  Vegetable gardens are having their last hurrahs.  Clubs start to meet again. Choirs return to churches after summer hiatus.  The new season of television and car models (used to all) begin in September.

So it seems appropriate for me to begin again in what is probably one of my favorite months of the year.  

That in mind, I kind of meandered through the day, listless, without a goal or destination.  I began to think that it was a hangover from August.  But then I realized that Arts Walk was happening in our downtown arts district.  The galleries and museums would be open.  Some parking lots would be where budding artists and artisans would be selling their creations.  Creative types and their patrons would be out in abundance.  So I grabbed my camera and out I went.

It was an artist date...in the purest sense.

I started at one of my favorite galleries where my friend would be singing.  After a quick view of the members' show and chat with  the singer during which I discovered that the lovely song she sang was one she had written when she was 18.  She said it was the only song she ever wrote.  What a shame, because it was beautiful.  I just had to admonish her that it's never too late.  And I realized I wasn't just saying that for her...but for me as well.

After that, I went over to the downtown library for the local literary institute was having an open mic night for poets and writers.  I had retrieved my Canon from my car after deciding it was time to start capturing images again.  And I started with the readers, one by one.  And the audience.  And passersby.  I realized that I was gathering material for creating images.  It felt good.

When I left the reading, I went to the art museum where again I captured some raw images.  I can hardly wait to work with them.  Already the air that was alive with the creative spirit of artists young and old had filled my lungs and, blessedly, awoken that same spirit in my soul.  It was inspirational...just what Spirit (capital S) ordered.

I began capturing images everywhere.  Probably not as many as I think, but enough to prime the proverbial pump.  The well, it seems, has not run dry.

So welcome September.  Sometimes you just have to go out and greet the new month and embrace it for all its possibilities.  They say life is what you make it.  Perhaps this is that time I make it so.

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