Dance of the Falling Yellow Leaves

I’m sitting on my screened porch, enjoying the first day this year when the air feels like fall.

The dry, cool air is noticeably different than the humid days of summer. I can literally feel the change in the air.

The thick humidity has been sucked out of the air, for the first time all summer, and the leaves and flowers are crisp and clear. Every leaf stands out now, instead of blending into a homogenous backdrop.

A brisk wind comes up and the dance of the falling yellow leaves begins.

There is a huge walnut tree in the back yard. We call it The Goddess Tree, because its presence is so dominating and feels so sacred. The strong presence of The Goddess Tree can be felt in every season, and in any kind of weather.

One day, every year, sometime in August, a wind arises and the air is filled with yellow leaves, dancing and drifting down from The Goddess Tree. The tree still looks green, but there are yellow leaves tucked in amongst the green ones, and they are ready to let go.

These kinds of days inspire me to jump into life, to re-engage at a fuller level. I can feel the passage of time in the wind. Life feels more precious on days like this, and I feel more alive.

It’s like life isn’t just sauntering lazily along, and it certainly isn’t pausing to give me time to catch up.

The dance of the falling yellow leaves heralds a different, more changeable rhythm of life. It is so very different from the slow, relaxed days of summertime.

I need to quicken my step, to keep in time, to sense the rhythm of the change, and embrace it.

These days dare me to come more alive. It is not just an invitation; it is a dare.

In this dance, all of life is a demand to wake up.

What do you want to wake up to?