The Beauty of Falling Leaves

            This time of year, we're watching the leaves changing day by day from their verdant vibrancy to a veritable panoply of colour; gorgeous reds and browns and oranges. It's autumn! Where I live, we had a rather blustery storm this week, and so a lot of leaves dropped rather early.

            It is this dropping of leaves that has spurred several social media memes; citing comments that "the leaves are about to remind us that letting go can be good!" It's a rather saccharine adage unless one considers the benefit of that change.

            And that benefit includes nourishment: the leaves change colour as they cease taking nourishment from the tree; dying so the tree can conserve what nutrients it needs for the winter season. Having ceased their photosynthesis role, they shrivel and fall, creating a blanket of on the ground. This blanket provides shelter for insects and small critters to survive the cold, it insulates the tree roots from the weather, and as leaves break down they provide nutrients for the soil to enrich the growing season come springtime.

            What we find decorative is, in fact, nourishment and sustenance for the ecosystem.

            And, more importantly, what is basic nourishment for the ecosystem is, in fact, beautiful to us.

            In all aspects of our life, we are invited to let things go, to recognise when something has run its course. These things are unique to our own experience and reasoning; even the leaves fall independently of each other.

            Even in our faith journey, this analogy holds: we are the branches, rooted and grounded in God's grace and love. We are challenged to continuously consider our vocation: how God is calling us to grow, to be nourished, and to nourish: through prayer, discussion, meditation, and ongoing discernment with trusted spiritual companions.

            Most often, we discern that the ministry we are called to is mean to continue: and continue we do! When there is an aspect of our lives that is no longer life-giving or sustaining, we are invited to let it go - that we might discern a new ministry to use our emotional and spiritual resources on, we may be opening the door for someone new to exercise their ministry, or we may be allowing a ministry a natural time of laying fallow.

            As Christians we are all growing and learning, engaging in faithful actions at the time and place for all. But for everything there is a season: what a delight that the natural seasons remind us that letting go, at the right time, can be nourishing (both to ourselves and to the community) - and that nourishment is a thing of beauty.