I have taken the below subject matter from a Christmas note I sent to various family and friends several years back. Hereby, I added much more detail and information from the brief comments within this Christmas note. I thought it would be a great time to bring these thoughts to the forefront once again, for those to whom I have already shared these reflections, as well as to others who would see them for the first time. What better time than Thanksgiving 2020 to highlight such reflections, as 2020 has placed unforeseen hardships upon many families and their loved ones!    

Being in the Northeast region of the country, each new season brings about a dramatic change in the environment. A few weeks into this autumn season, I took notice, from my living room picture window, of a leaf on a tree branch that soared high up into the sky. As the days passed and the season became more and more removed from the blossoming summer months, this leaf changed from green to more of a reddish-orange appearance, consistently changing its hue over the next several weeks. Over time, as it grasped to “hang-on” to its current state, I became more and more fixated of the beauty of this leaf in its various stages of transformation. My mind would wonder “in and out” of a troubled state, with the realization that this leaf was in its final stages of transformation from life.

Although I have always admired the dormant months of the winter, the maturation of the spring, the personification of life in the summer, and the picturesque foliage in the fall, I have been remiss in reflecting upon the underlying premise of so much. I became quite mystified over this one leaf, an unassuming matter in day-to-day life.  

Today, while raking leaves, in a sedentary pause, I again looked up at this one specific leaf still hanging on, fighting nature with every breeze or outbreak of wind, refusing to let go of the comfort in which it has become so accustomed throughout the warm summer months. How long could this leaf continue to fight before the inevitable happens and breaks from its lifeblood – that being the water supply from the veins within the stem to which it is attached? Suddenly, as I returned to raking leaves, I became annoyed as a great gust of wind blew many leaves from the large pile I amassed, once again covering my newly, finely raked lawn. At this same moment, I again looked up at that one leaf in which I became so fixated and witnessed, firsthand, the reluctant shedding of this leaf from its base. With the water supply finally being completely “choked off” from its stem provider, this leaf could no longer fight nature, as nature always wins.

Even with the shedding of this leaf, I became more and more fixated as I continued to admire its multi-colored beauty, as it continued to fight nature’s course by forcibly traveling throughout the air in a side-to-side, up-and-down manner, as the wind became more fierce. What was possibly 15–20 seconds appeared to be an imagined several minutes as my preoccupation allowed time to “stop.” As the wind continued but slowed considerably, this leaf went into a slow downward “spiral.” As the leaf became closer and clearer in sight, I realized it had become more of a bright red color. Amazingly, the wind abruptly subsided and a steady calm came about, a calm that allowed me to witness the final leg of the leaf’s journey, so gracefully falling to the ground. However, as I remained captivated by this one solitary leaf, the leaf never did touch the ground. In its tumultuous, turned tranquil, journey, it made its way to the leaves that remained in my previously large pile of those I had raked. As if by its own doing, this lone leaf elegantly settled, so lightly and so gently, upon this small gathering of leaves, allowing itself a potential opportunity to, once again, float away in solitude with the slightest of breeze. Even being detached from its lifeblood, this lone leaf appeared to want a sense of togetherness, while at the same time having the freedom to float away into periods of isolated reflection. Amazingly, this was not a large leaf, and by all measures, would be considered average at best, which could easily be inconspicuously mixed among all others.

At this time, my imagined stoppage of time was lifted and the real passage of time reappeared. Again, my mind quickly returned to that troubled state, now realizing that this leaf was concluding its final stage of transformation. A transformation from a heightened state of lively existence that flowed through many stages to its final “hollowed” state, soon to be blended within a conglomeration of millions of other leaves decaying into the earth’s surface. Without any warning and coming from a place that only God may know, my troubled mind changed to a sense of quiet melancholy. I heard a soft, whispering voice inside my head that came from above. My eyes quickly darted from looking down upon this newly fallen leaf, so peacefully resting upon other leaves, to looking up and gaining a new fixation on a branch soaring high into the sky. Remarkably, I immediately realized this is the exact branch that holds the stem which had nurtured the “fallen leaf.” At this moment, the voice grew louder to allow me to clearly hear, “Why are you so distraught by the shedding of one’s outer shell when its core inner base remains, its true being, the seed of its existence – of its life?”

My family and I plan on once again having a great Thanksgiving at our home and we wish the same for each of you. We are so fortunate and cannot be thankful enough! The first thing I do every morning when I wake up is thank the Lord for “waking up.” I then express my gratitude of all the blessings that shine upon and within me. Yes, I have sad times, disappointing times, difficult times, and “real” issues, just like everyone. However, it would be self-regarding for me to bring up such issues when one observes the “State of the World’ or the situation of disorder and disarray in the lives of so many. Many are never able to see so much beauty throughout this great world, as their situations in life prohibit such. We are thankful for our health, well-being, family, friendships, togetherness, and the ultimate seeds of our life – our children. I, and my family, cannot be thankful enough for the opportunities to fully experience God’s beauty all around. The beauty is everywhere and so easy for us to overlook! Just like the beauty of one simple leaf!

As we all experience different stages throughout various chapters of our lives, whether it be a state of vibrancy, a state of energetic motivation, a fullness of life, a youthful outlook of never-ending possibilities, or a state of tiredness, a sense of dormancy, a state of ill-health, or an elderly outlook of limited possibilities, may we all find comfort in knowing that our inner-self, our true being, the seeds of our existence, our “life,” are forever woven into this world and forever woven into each of those we have positively touched, directly or indirectly. For each of you who have positively touched my life in any manner whatsoever, whether it be in the distant past, the recent past, or currently, I cannot be more thankful. Many may not even know how you have positively influenced my life. I am so fortunate that each of you are forever interwoven into my life and my soul. Your positive influences far outweigh the negatives coming from any other sources, thus routinely pushing any such negatives further away, not ever allowing them to even begin to weave throughout my being, let alone dwell into my soul.    

It was just a leaf! A simple leaf! Fighting a separation from its core, from its inner-being. Reluctantly breaking from this core. Turbulently going with the wind. Then gliding gracefully through the peaceful autumn air. It was just a seed! An unpretentious seed! Remaining strong as the inner-being, the inner-strength, the seed of existence, the abundance of life. It was just a moment! An unassuming moment! A moment of silent reflection! This simple leaf, this unpretentious seed, this unassuming moment had a profound impact on my well-being, my inner-self, my inner-strength. No matter what your stage in life, may you have fulfilling experiences of togetherness with loved ones and friends, as well as unassuming moments of silent reflection to elevate your inner-being to soar higher and higher up into the sky.

I fill my glass abundantly with wine and raise it high! I toast each of you that are interwoven into my life and my soul! With each sip from this full glass, I think of each of you again and again! I cannot be more grateful and honored that you have touched my life and may continue to touch my life in more positive ways than you may ever know!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am Truly Blessed and Hope the Same for All!