I turned 40 earlier this month, and have been celebrating every weekend... and some weeknights, too! Last weekend, a group of girlfriends whisked me away to Lisle, Illinois for a hiking day at . Morton Salt magnate, Joy Morton, founded the 1,700-acre Arboretum in 1922. It's dedicated to the planting and conservation of trees, and has more than 4,000 kinds of trees from around the world.

With Halloween so near, there seemed to be as many goblins, aliens, tigers, and fairies running around as there were trees. Scarecrows, bales of hay, build-your-own taffy apple stations, kettle corn and pumpkin piles added to the family-style goodness.

My girlfriends and I all live near downtown Chicago, so we were grateful for the absence of edgy glass and hard concrete. Instead, there were rounded hills and soft, mulchy ground beneath our feet. It actually made us bounce as we walked! Or maybe we bounced because we were happy.

Maybe we bounced because, like the sing-songy birds, we had a deep sense of well-being. Maybe all the oxygen-rich air made us giddy and soul-refreshed. It is good to get dirty. It is good to climb trees, and whisper sweet-nothings to them as you do. It is good to connect with positive women who love and lift you. It is good to be awe-struck by God's outrageous Autumn palette. Today, I felt chased down by the love of God.

I Eat from the Tree of Knowledge

I live in the Garden of Eden.
I talk with God and serpents.
I eat forbidden fruit and am,
therefore, aware of my nakedness.

I know that You did not banish me
or my curiosity, because how could
we be enjoying this sweet communion?

You are mine, and I am Yours;
just like it's always been.
My eyes are open, and that's precisely
how I fell in love with You, because I saw You.
That is not sin, but sight.

-Erika Harris