These days I’ve been at the place of my childhood and one of the first things I did was to visit the grave of my dad. It still feels kind of surreal to stand there and to read his name on the wooden cross. And within this moment it becomes very clear again, nothing is forever. The time given to us is restricted and it is our own decision what to do with the time we have.

It was a beautiful autumn day. The trees turned colorful already and the sun was covering the cemetery with brightness. The contrast of the colored leaves, the blue sky, the sun and all the flowers on the graves was breath taking. And the beauty of this autumn day was overlaying the prevailing mood of sadness and death of this place.

So I decided to go on a bicycle tour, as I used to do when I lived here many years back. I followed my standard tour since I wanted to see the paths and places I have been so many times before. I wanted to experience the peace and solitude of the mountains of my youth again. And so I did.

As said, the day was especially beautiful. Blue sky, lots of sun and it was cold, how I like it. Approximately 2-4 degree Celsius. The air was cold, but clear and fresh. In the shadows the grass had been still covered by hoar frost from the night and the ice crystals gave a lovely contrast to the colorful trees in front of a blue sky. I stopped a few times, just to absorb the beauty of this scene. I had forgotten already how beautiful this area here is. I love this endless forest, which covers the mountains near the country border. Not many people come up here, that far from the next villages.

I followed my old route and I passed many familiar places. How many times have I been here, most of the time in winter with ski. I do remember as it has been just a few years back how my dad brought me here. How he showed me beautiful hidden places in the forest. Points with great views over the hills, beautiful creeks, very old trees. I still remember the stories he told me about these places, fairy tales, legends and myths, but also happenings from his childhood, how he carried his skis many miles to reach these hidden places in winter. He taught me to see the beauty of nature and to respect it.

Today I visited many of these places and many memories came back. I somehow got lost within these memories. Together with the awesome autumn weather and the exhaustion from the bike ride it has been a very intensive experience. I became melancholic, but I felt free and happy. Thank you dad, you influenced and shaped me more than you thought. You taught me to see and appreciate the beauty of nature.

What a wonderful melancholic autumn day.