Fall is upon us. It's a time of transition for many, especially our deciduous tree friends here in the Northeast. I learn so much just by watching the leaves fall - each one of them different, finding their own path from the only home they've
known to the ground below. Today, sitting in the woods underneath roaring leaves in the rough fall wind, I heard them say: "You tiny humans with all your worries. This happens every year! It's okay! Impermanence!"
I recently came across one of my favorite childhood picture books, Four Puppies by Anne Heathers (check it out for a great read-aloud of the book!). Each season, the puppies lament when their favorite parts of spring, summer, winter and fall are over - and then they're surprised all over again by the joys of the new seasons. Delight in new spring flowers turns to long summer days lying in the sun, which fades to fun jumping in piles of leaves, which turns into sliding on the ice. And so the circle and cycle of the seasons goes. The wise red squirrel in the story laughs at their transition tears each time. "You silly billies! There's nothing to cry about!" when the puppies try to put the fall leaves that are falling back onto the trees.
Something to remember as I, myself, lament the loss of warmth and never enough swimming. "Silly billy! There's nothing to cry about! Enjoy the mums and the yellow tinged hills and the delicious apple cider!" the wise red squirrel would tell me.
One of my favorite songs to sing at this time of year is All the Leaves by Batya Levine. Check it out!
What are you lamenting and what are you loving right now during this seasonal change?
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