The jack-o plan.
He just sat there, smiling at me with that toothless grin of his. Daring me to do it. Taunting me like I didn’t have the nerve, no, the strength or guts to do it. Was he right? Was I really that weak that I couldn’t do it? After all, I carved and gut him like a Thanksgiving turkey, but that’s a story for another day. No, I had to do it. Seriously, what was holding me back?
Ok, let me back up and clarify something. I’m a fall season addict. No, I’m not addicted to all the popular fall things like pumpkin spiced (everything) and hay rides until they’re coming out of my ears like a scarecrow! Though I do like those.
But as a fall color person, I love all the oranges, browns, yellows, reds, and definitely greens. Most things of the fall I love. Did I mention I love the color orange? And here’s where we catch up on our story’s beginning. Orange. As in, the jack-o pumpkin I lovingly chose from all the pumpkins I grew in my garden this year. The same one I carefully carved into a smiling ray of sunshine to sit perched on my front porch bench, where it would smile at me every time I entered or exited my front door. The same pumpkin I now want to cut into small pieces to make a delicious pumpkin pie, the same delicious pie I’ve been craving all year long. But to have that pie, I need to destroy that lovely, smiling pumpkin face. The same face I’ll have to wait another whole year to see smiling at me again.
It’s all part of the plan. That’s why he was planted, grown, watered and then carved. First I got joy by watching all the pumpkin jack-o’s grow, then in picking the right one from the patch. Then I got joy in making my pumpkin jack-o into a beautiful smiling face. Bonus-I also roasted the seeds from inside to eat! Then when jack-o pumpkin starts to dry out, I’ll cut it into pieces, boil to soften, peel and mash it, then add more yummy goodies to make the mashed pumpkin into a delicious pie. All good from start to finish, even through the difficult parts. All part of the plan.
Let’s face it, that was the plan all along. It’s a good plan. And there’s a good plan for YOU as well. Never be surprised when sometimes, life takes a turn here and there. It’s all part of a bigger, better plan than you can even imagine. For your good.
So here my jack-o pumpkin sits, on my porch bench, taunting me to come get him as he continues smiling. He knew the plan all along, and it’s ok. Sometimes the plan can be sad, yes. But like in the book “The Giving Tree”, my jack-o pumpkin has been giving me joy at every step of the process. All summer, into the fall, and possibly into winter (depending on if I eat all the pie now or freeze some for later!) So let the pie making begin! Hmm….me thinks me can smell the sweet, spicy aroma now. Yummy! Wanna borrow a fork? It’s part of the plan.
Ooooh, pumpkin pie! It isn't on the national radar everywhere in the UK, and I think we still have a can of it to be made into a pie, somewhere in the back of the cupboard. Probably 10 years out of date. Does that matter, or will we die by pie?! Yes, I love autumn too, as we call it here in the UK. When someone says something about the fall, I know immediately they are from North America, whatever their accent.