Magic Month

This time of year always makes me nostalgic. As I said in a previous post, a lot of the best times of my live have been at this time of year.

Four years ago on Halloween, E and I decided to get back together, and it ended up being for good. When I look back on October of 2004, I remember the Red Sox and their improbable march to the first world championship in 86 years, and I remember E and I dancing around whether or not to get back together. I think, on a higher level, I knew it would be for good, and I think to some extent that was why I resisted it for a few weeks. I wanted to be absolutely certain, and because we'd both had some missteps before, I wanted to think it through. Which I did, obviously.

Ten years ago, I was in Atlanta, in my first job out of college. The fall of 1998 was one of the most fun times I ever had. That job was kind of ideal for a first one out of school, because we lived on the school's campus, so really, in a lot of ways, it was like still being in school. The people I worked with were so much fun. I was in the best shape I'd ever been in and as a result, had more confidence than I ever had.

And of course, one year ago, my son was born. The first month of motherhood is extremely intense. No shock there. It's a time when your hormones are nuts, and when you're a first time mother, you're still getting your footing, in terms of feeling like you know what you're doing. But it's also intense in terms of feeling a depth of love you probably didn't even know you were capable of, not fully, until you felt it.

Falling in love, whether it's romantic love, or love of a new place and life, or love of your child, is a magical thing. So, I guess it's no wonder that this time of year is my favorite.