The Girl Who Collected Autumn, part one

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a small village. The people in the village were very busy, but the girl wasn't. She took walks with her dog in the woods, over hills, and through fields. Some people in the village said, "Look at her, all she does is walk all day, and paint, and sing, and write, and play with her dog. She doesn't do anything important. She doesn't make any money. Most importantly, she doesn't contribute anything to society!"

Still, she went on, taking her walks, singing her songs, thinking her thoughts, dreaming her dreams. 

It began to get colder and the leaves were changing color. The people in the village were very busy. They complained about the weather and didn't like the biting wind. But mostly, they didn't really notice.

Leaves flew down from the branches, and scattered themselves all over the village. They flew over rooftops, cluttered the sidewalks, and stuck to the wet streets when it rained. Every now and then, when a village person looked up from their desk or out of their shop window, they would see the girl in her pink coat, looking all around her with wonder and stooping to pick up leaves. "That girl! She really is wasting her time. Why doesn't she make something useful of herself?" 

The girl didn't pay them any mind. She knew in her heart she would have something to give, come winter. She quietly continued, making sure to remember the smells, the light, the taste of dew, the sound of crows squaking and of wind rustling.

She collected the prettiest fallen leaves, placed them in her pockets, and brought them home.
There, she scattered them on the table to admire before pressing them between the pages of thick, heavy books. 
The girl had a plan.

part 2 coming soon xoxo