Fall

A bud grew on an oak tree in a certain suburban yard. The spring rain trickled down through the ground to the root. There, the tree pumped the nourishing moisture through its veins to the small new bud.

The bud grew into a beautiful leaf. She finally viewed the whole wide world around her. Seeing things she never had seen. And what a view. Birds would light to rest near her. She would listen to their songs, feel the wind move her about. Always happy to just be there. Discovering all the wide world around her. Never looking forward to, or fearing the end. People would walk beneath her, always seeming to be in a hurry. Children would lean against the trunk of her tree, never seeming to have a care. No one noticed her. But she was happy.

Summer came and she would thirst. Just when she felt she could not carry on, a merciful thunderstorm would roll through. Even though the fearsome winds would wail about, she held firm. The veins of the tree would carry the water to her once again and she would revive. She always felt her best after a storm.

Temperatures cooled as the days went on. The laughter of children became less frequent. The wind became more of an opponent. The storms continued. The sun rested a little lower in the horizon.

For a short time, the rain and wind ceased. The bright sun shone against a brilliant blue sky. The trees around her seemed to be on fire. She, too, had changed. She had gone through a rainbow of colors and had settle on a beautiful crimson. People now stopped to stare. Children pointed. Some even smiled.

Yet, she was tired. She was thirsty.

A frost came. And the veins within the tree slowed. She began to grow listless. She began to feel her grip on her family grow weak. Those who had been closest to her began to fall away. Where were they going she wondered. When would I go. She was weak. In all this, she never feared.

One day as she considered her future, she grew very weary. There were no people. There were no children. No smiles and no water. The sun had disappeared for days. She had been so strong all this time. But it was time to let go. She took one look up..... to the sky. Then one look down.... to the ground beneath.

Then, she let go. She fell.

It wasn't that she had given up. No, she was ready to go. She had served her purpose. She had finished her course. It was simply time to go. Someplace new. Someplace different.

As she began to fall, a bird winged near her. She thought to herself.... "so this is what it is to fly."

Days later, a child came near. She was not aware of the child. She was no longer fresh and pliable. She was old and stiff and cracked when she moved. The child took her and placed her in a book.

50 years later.........

A book in an attic. A child climbs creaky stairs. The sound of steps approaches. "Grandma, what's this?" she said. "Just a book" came the answer.

The old woman stepped into the attic and sat down on a pile of old, faded newspapers. "Let me see what you've found there my dear." The old woman opened the book to the page where the leaf had been resting all this time.

And for an instant, there were three young spirits in that attic. The little girl held the leaf and wondered at the color. The old woman smiled widely as she said hello to an old friend. A tear welled up in her eye. As she smiled and recalled a beautiful fall day many years ago, the tear became too heavy to remain in the old woman's eye.

It hesitated... let go.... And fell.

Don't we all.........

May 3, 2005