In Praise of Pumpkins

Behold your excitement people.

It is once again that peculiar time of the year, when we photograph our children with pumpkins.

We carve out the time, drive to a (preferably organic) pumpkin farm and click away.

I must say pumpkins haven't taken this phenomenon for granted at all. They could have very well acted all smug and lazy, as throngs of families come to admire them, pose with them, and proudly carry them out to their homes, where they sit them in a shrine for a few weeks.

On the contrary, over the years I have found these silly old vegetables reinvent themselves into grander and more improved versions of their old selves. It is really beautiful to see them in all their glorious shades of orange, white and green, scattered along a vast field, hoping to catch the eye of a fervent admirer. Hoping to be the One, while still maintaining their composure under the pressure of being hugged and poked and sat on....

I savor these beautiful moments with these two girls, who pick out pumpkins with all their hearts and focus, ignoring my shouts of "look at mommy", "look at mommy for god's sake", "hey check out this pumpkin on mommy's head"....

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