Little Wonders...

“each leaf tells us a story.

the story of its struggle.

the struggle against the storms that it faces in life.”

― Avijeet Das

I like walking best because I’m touching the earth. I am slowly taking everything in that I see and hear and smell. I put my hand on my favorite tree and feel the velvety texture of the moss growing on it; I pick up rocks that sparkle and smell the musty air. The sounds of falling leaves, the rocks under my feet, the gurgling of the moving streams, and the symphony of endless insects moves me.

I like to pause and stop and give nature time. Reflecting on the glory of the Lord and the little wonders He leaves behind along the way--it all puts me in awe. There is so much to learn and observe and admire.

It’s 3:15 in the afternoon and it’s late summer. A rooster is crowing, and I am marveling at the strange hour. It comes then, as no surprise when I happen upon a golden leaf on the trail. And then a brown leaf. And then decaying leaves and green leaves and orange leaves already beginning to turn, signaling that fall is soon upon us.

Leaves! They are amazing marvels of nature! Thousands on a single tree—taking sunlight and turning it into food to feed the tree! Taking in the carbon dioxide we exhale and releasing fresh oxygen for us to breathe! All work together with a common goal!

They seem small with little to offer as one single leaf; however they are mighty in sustaining a giant tree or human life when working together! What lessons that are provided to us when we stop and observe the quiet life around us!

There is a story for all of these leaves! A story of where they were born, where they have traveled, what they have met along the way, when they fell from their tree, where the wind blows them, and where they land--left to be crushed underfoot, or consumed or just to decompose in the world. They live mighty lives!

They are full of use and importance and even in their death they provide the breathtaking splendor of brilliant colors in fall, and the satisfying crunch beneath our feet when we hike the trail. They decompose and the rich nutrients within them provide sustenance for the next round of leaves that will sprout in the spring.

I leave you with this poem I wrote, and encourage you to find meaning in the little wonders God places purposefully for us to see.

a life well lived

bursting forth with vigor;

green and vibrant

life giving,

cleansing,

ending life in

an explosion of color

before fading gracefully,

and fluttering

in a twirling dance

to the ground…

even in death,

leaving behind a legacy

embedded in the earth;

not one moment wasted.