I witness the leaves floating to the ground, joining their friends who have made the trip previously. The ground is littered with various tones of brown and an endless variety of leaf shapes, no two the same. The leaves rustle in the wind and crunch underneath me. As I watch this panorama of floating leaves, they seem to float aimlessly to the ground, yet there is a purpose to this seemingly haphazard retreat. It is time for the leaves to abandon the safe haven of their community life, venturing off their home and returning to their source, the rich soil that began their journey so long ago. And yet, even though almost bare, the tree stands strong and majestic as ever, showing off its inner beauty more fully with the exposed trunk and branches that reach up toward the sky, ever growing toward its destiny. Trees have stood the test of time, and continue to follow their yearly cycle of growth, abandonment, slumber, and growth again. They stand firm throughout all the tests of nature: wind, rain, heat, and dryness. They have been home to various animals, such as squirrels, a mélange of birds, and numerous insects. The trees don’t complain; they welcome all to their home, giving comfort to the young and old alike, regardless of species. How much we can learn from our noble trees! Let this be reminder to accept and admire the beauty and magnificence of cycles: birth, death, and rebirth again in the cycle of everlasting life. Nothing ever dies; it just gets born into a new form, and another cycle begins. We are all transiting through these phases of life, and when we welcome the cyclical change of seasons, we acknowledge the divinity working through us. We accept and appreciate all the gifts that life bestows upon us, without asking for anything in return. Nature presents us with various events that are timed according to how we adapt and manage ourselves in our day-to-day living. When we have learned one lesson, another one is immediately placed before us. As we master one lesson, we move ahead in our journey toward understanding ourselves, and the tiny but meaningful part we play in the drama of creation, a little bit better. How adeptly we accomplish each lesson determines the next phase of our existence. Understanding the part we play is a major key toward fulfilling our destiny: making our dreams come true and contributing to the overall success of humanity in its search for understanding, truth, and beauty. As our hearts fill with joy in the beauty of life and the events in which we participate, so too we send out that joy to others we discover traveling along the same bumpy road of life. We are all in this cycle of life together, and with each successfully mastered test, we help each other. If they can do it, so can we. If we can do it, so can they. We have examples all around us of those who have mastered some aspect of their lives. Let us learn by all of our mistakes, and let us reach out to others who are having a little bit more difficult time of discovering the beauty within them. By our light they will know us, not by our words. Each day is a new adventure to appreciate, admire, and to learn from. Mistakes are what make us stronger, brighter, and more understanding of our faults and those that we see in others. Karin Pekarcik is a freelance writer living in Anaheim, CA. Please feel free to write her at <karinjulia@earthlink.net>. |
Sitting in the forest clearing under an inviting tree, I settle into the quiet ambiance of nature. As I bask in the beauty of the surroundings, I hear a wind whipping up in the trees around me. In its journey through the forest, the wind removes more foliage from the already almost-bare trees. It is actually the beginning of winter, and leaves still adorn the trees. It has been a warm autumn, and the trees are finally getting on target with their natural cycles.