There is a story I remember from some time in my life. My memory about it is faint, but it goes something like this. The story is about a tree that is afraid to shed its leaves. It doesn’t want to let go of the beauty of its glorious colors, it feels so special, so very perfect. The tree fights desperately to hold on to its leaves knowing that it will have to eventually let go of its glory. Finally, the tree finds inspiration from an elder tree realizing that shedding the leaves stops the tree branches from breaking when the heavy snow settles in for the Winter. Shedding the leaves for this tree also means survival. At first the tree is afraid because shedding its leaves is letting go of something that is so beautiful, but it realizes after surviving through the winter that in the Spring, new leaves will come and thus, the process of rejuvenation and rebirth will continue. This story has always stayed with me and as I grow older, I appreciate even more so the infinite beauty that Fall brings. Fall always reminds me that there is beauty in dying, that with each goodbye, there is always a hello and that with each death, there is life.
After the glorious summer months, so many of us are reluctant to embrace Fall. The shedding leaves seem daunting as we prepare for Winter. As for me, it is one of my most favorites times of the year. I love watching those beautiful trees that have protected us in the hot summer months change their colors and amaze us with all of their splendor. I love the crunching of leaves under my feet that take on a melody of their own. The reds, the oranges, the yellows, the greens peeking out amongst them, even the bare ones, they all represent beauty to me. And when these benevolent giants take a break for the winter and start shedding their leaves, this too is an exhilarating time for me because it represents transformation and growth, and subsequent rejuvenation, all which are such unspoken wonders of the world.
Autumn for me also represents change and it is a time for me to learn so much from the trees that have transformed before my very eyes. Watching them engage in the process of changing colors and then letting go is such a profound process because when you think of it from a tree’s perspective, letting go of that splendor, that glory, that incredible beauty is not an easy task yet each Autumn trees do just that, they let go. As observers of this incredible phenomenon, we realize that beauty often lies in sparseness, that it is a time for introspection, for growth, and for self-acceptance. If trees can let go of such splendor, only to know that they will survive through the winter, why can’t we?
Letting go is not an easy task but when we look at the trees around us, letting go encompasses hope, hope that the Spring months will bring renewed beauty, vitality and grace. What are you holding on in your life that you aren’t letting go of? What keeps you from embracing change and what gets in the way of you accepting yourself? For me, embracing change often means embracing fear and at times this feel uncomfortable, and other times downright scary. Yet, every time I am able to let go, I am able to embrace fear and eventually grow in the process. With that growth self-acceptance ultimately makes its way in. Just like trees, this is a lifelong process for us members of the human race.
Let's take a cue from the trees and understand the valuable message that lies in releasing, in appreciating simplicity and the elegance of minimalism. While we patiently anticipate their transformation during the winter season, let's also give ourselves the opportunity to heal, grow stronger, and rejuvenate.
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