I’m not the leaves!

I’m not the leaves!

I’m clinging to another glorious, sun-gilded autumn morning and a profound meditation is taking place!  Nature, once again, is God’s exquisite teacher! 

The scene: softly rippling leaves, of every golden, crimson, fading green and flaming orange color-- lit up by autumn’s slanted sunlight having a different glow than summer’s direct overhead glaring light. 

The scene draws me into deeper thoughts and contemplation.  People talk of autumn’s lessons about death and dying.  But as I sit, immersed at leaf-level from my second-floor apartment, watching the silent soft leaf-fall, occurring painlessly in the golden illumination, a message arises.  “This is not about death at all.  It’s about the blessed passing seasons of our life.”  The Teacher is pointing out where I am in this scene: “You are not the leaves, falling away.  You are the TREE!!!”

Ahhhh….not the leaves that we think are sadly meeting their demise.  The Teacher says: “Look again!  You’re the strong, solid, tall-standing tree!  Reaching up, higher and higher—through drought, and storms, heavy snows and freezing ice.  Flexible and resilient to the vagaries of life, the changing weathers of a lifetime.” 

I believe Earth has many secret wisdoms to share with us.  And this year, my vision has new lenses.  I see my place now more clearly.  

I am the tree—with deep roots, firmly grounded, enduring the changing weathers with calm serenity—knowing with certitude that I am MADE for this!  I am well-suited for my Earth life.  And the hand of the Creator blesses and sustains every cell in my human “treeness”.

And in the midst of every challenge, every storm or drought or unexpected change, God “comes to our assistance, and makes haste to help us.”