Sunday Morning Reflection from the deck

I am sitting on the deck this morning with Cliff and a cup of coffee, trying to wake up on a Sunday morning. It's 57 degrees Fahrenheit out here and feels great. There are birds chirping and singing. There is a slight breeze. Leaves are on the table, the deck, and the yard. The fallen leaves are beautiful, as are the ones still hanging on for a little while longer in the trees.

There is a deck being built or re-built a few doors down and they are busy at work this morning with electric tools. That takes away from the nature sounds, but I can somewhat tune them out. 

There are some clouds in the sky this morning, a thin white cover over the blue background.

Every now and then I hear an acorn drop to the ground with a thud. I give thanks that I am not underneath that tree. :)

I look around me and see yellow, red, orange, brown, green and a mixture of stages in between.

As I contemplate the leaves this morning, I wonder what things in my life it's time to "drop off" or "let go". One of the quotes that were read at Bamboo Encounter yesterday was this one from Marilyn Wolf:

“When Autumn comes and the leaf starts to die, it is trying to let go of the branch. The tree doesn’t have to push it away, tear it off, or even nudge it. The leaf will let go and fall away when it’s time. It knows that it no longer serves the tree as a source of light and beauty and simply lets go.”

I found it on her blog here: "Autumn: A Time For Allowing". I encourage you to take a moment to go read the entire reading. It's short, yet powerful.

As I reflect on her quote this morning, it is good to note that the tree doesn't push the leaf away.  "The leaf will let go and fall away when it's time." Wow. That bears repeating: "The leaf will let go and fall away when it's time." Is that how it works with things in our life that no longer serve as a source of light and beauty? Do they simply let go? Or do we need to do a harder work to let them go? The answer might be a both/and. I don't know. I've not really considered this "new" way of letting go before. It seems to me that tree is simply "being" a tree. It is being its true self. And in being that true self, things are happening naturally, as they should. The tree allows the process to take place.

That brings up questions for me: am I being my true self? Am I allowing things to happen naturally? Am I allowing the process to take place?

These are questions that will take time to ponder. I will hold them with wonder and curiosity.

Meanwhile, I listen to the birds chirp and sing. I observe the beauty of the leaves, fallen and on the trees.

I breathe in and out on this cool morning.

I give thanks to the Creator for the beauty.

Peace on this day, 

Rev. Deb