Sunday, October 12, 2008

In Memory of my Cousin Muriel

I grew up in Chemung County, in the Southern Tier of New York State (light years from NYC). I’ve spent the last 30-plus years in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Periodically, I drive to New York to visit family who still live there and I’ve just returned from such a visit. While driving through the Pocono Mountain region in Eastern Pennsylvania , a realization came to me – after living in southeastern Pennsylvania for more than 30 years, this was the very first time I'd driven to NY during the fall when the leaves are changing color. The colors were absolutely beautiful. I wanted to stop several times to take pictures, but there are very few places along the PA Turnpike I considered safe enough for a photo shoot, so I waited until I reached a turnpike rest stop. I was traveling to attend the memorial service of my cousin who left us much too early (she was only 42 years old). In spite of the sad circumstances, or maybe because of those circumstances, I could not help but be inspired and uplifted by the beautiful scenery. I realized I must stop more often to appreciate the beauty around me. The loss of my cousin made me appreciate the experience more profoundly than I would have under different circumstances. I hope these pictures serve as a reminder to us all – we must stop and appreciate even the smallest miracles in our lives. Life goes by too fast.

(click images to enlarge)



14 comments:

  1. 42 is too young. Sending a hug.

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  2. Those colors are breathtaking! Sorry to hear of your loss. Yes, 42, much too young.

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  3. It's times like these that really make us think of our own mortality. The way we eat, work, live, all take a toll on our health. I think the older we get, the more aware of our living we become.
    Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos. We just don't get color like that here in California.

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  4. My condolences on the loss of your cousin. You are so right--we need to appreciate what we have when we have it.

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  5. What a dreadful thing. My condolences to you and your family. Thank you for the autumnal pictures. I live in the subtropics and we never see colours like these.

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  6. I'm so sorry about your cousin... My condolences to you and your family

    The landscape is beautiful. SO colorful and peaceful.

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  7. I'm so sorry you have lost someone dear to you! You and your family will be in my prayers...

    The fall color is just barely beginning to show up down 'he-ah'...the pictures are lovely.

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  8. I'm sorry to hear of this - hugs to you! What a great way to remember your cousin and to keep her memory alive each year and to remember that we have much to be thankful for and live for.

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  9. this is truly sad, my condolence, and beautiful beautiful photos

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  10. How beautiful! Along our highways we only have Australian bush trees and scrub which does not change colour. Sorry to hear about your cousin - 42 is way too young.

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  11. I'm sorry to hear about your cousin...42 is so young to pass on...so much life unlived!

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  12. I'm so sorry to hear about you losing your cousin too! That scenery is breathtaking! I wasn't born in Elmira, NY but I grew up there and lived there for 18 years. My family still lives there. Where in Chemung County did you live?

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  13. Sorry to read about your cousin's early death! So sad. Lovely photos of the leaves turning. We are seeing some of that here in VA but not quite to peak yet here.

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