Life as a Leaf

Anyone who lives in New England knows how gorgeous the fall foliage can be. It is my favorite time of year to drive to/from Boston and today as I was driving home, taking in the beauty of it all, I found myself thinking What a tease--how can something so beautiful go by so quickly?! Then I got to thinking that the beautiful fall foliage is a lot like life itself; hear me out...

In spring a bud forms and a leaf soon emerges, exciting, new and cute, just like a baby being born. During its short lifetime a leaf is vibrant, green, and pliable, withstanding all of the weather/challenges blown its way...much like we are.

As the leaves age they become their most beautiful; dazzling with color and ripe with experience. This is how I view our 'older' generations: rich with experience and the wisdom that comes from it. I would love to see our older generations celebrated and revered more like we view the foliage as opposed to overlooked and undervalued.

Ultimately the leaves fall off the trees and decompose back into the soil, much like dying. What struck me the most were the bare trees left behind without any leaves at all. I align those with the human spirit. Our bodies, like the leaves, might be gone but our spirits stick around (pun intended) for those who seek to feel them. This is my own personal belief and it gives me solace to think that we're never totally gone. 

You see, life may be short for some and long for others...it may be sunny for some and stormy for others...but having one at all is beautiful nonetheless.