FALLING LEAVES

This is our favourite tree in our garden. It’s leaves are always the last to turn the dramatic colours of Autumn. It feels like our favourite tree holds out for as long as it can and then finally, reluctantly capitulates to the new season surrounding it.

Eventually it’s leaves begin to turn colour.

Yellow.

Red.

Burnt orange.

Burgundy.

It’s beautiful.

And then, it’s leaves begin to fall.

When enough leaves have fallen, we roll around in them and have leaf fights.

Every year, I watch our favourite tree. I watch it heroically hold out against the coming winter as long as it can.

And then I watch it embrace the new season as it’s leaves turn colour and begin to fall.

As I watch it, I feel two conflicting emotions collide within me like Cape Agulhas, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.  I feel the warm and cold oceans inside of me collide.

I feel the pang of sadness for another summer passed. Yet, at the same time, I feel the wonder of the beauty of what’s in front of me now – the spectacular transformation of this tree.

As I watch the seasons turn and the leaves fall, I can’t help but remember that they fall every year. That’s the thing about seasons – they come and go. Always transient. Never here to stay.

I can’t help but remember that there is a God who designed the seasons and who watches over every season. That He allocates the times and the seasons and that He is fully in control of every season.

Falling leaves.

The pang of a summer lost.

The wonder of what’s in front of me now.

The reminder that our God allocates every transient season and no season is ever here to stay.

Falling leaves. One day those falling leaves will become new leaves.

That’s enough for me.