It had rained in the night, and the playground was wet yesterday morning. I had kept bags of raked leaves from the fall, for this exact sort of moment. I emptied a bag, so the children and I could rake a path of leaves from the gate to the door. When I emptied the other bags of sweet and fragrant leaves to be spread into their play-space, the children greeted this addition like I had given them mounds of gold! They rushed for the rakes; they worked and played, laughing and jumping, raking and tumbling until they dropped, exhausted and giggly in Rebecca’s and my arms! 
Indoors today, a royal gathering was held. Kings and Queens gathered to plan the affairs of state, and to share a banquet feast.
When we adults can give ourselves so fully to the joy of the moment, we will have become rich in our simplicity!
