December 8, 2020
We don’t need a posted note to remind us about how crazy our weather year has been. Have the tropical storms stalled or have we evolved into a new season? I find great peace in watching a tree leaf leap outward into its final dance. It’s as if they envisioned it from the moment they grew from a bud back in the spring. Watching the leaves glide through the invisible air has always brought out my true kid self. It makes me believe that I too can fly. All this talk about leaves falling makes me wonder why a tree sheds such incredible layers of protection. I always thought leaves helped collect water in the atmosphere to help feed the roots. Not so true. Leaves are energy stealers. When a tree goes into the winter months it needs to conserve as much energy as possible because for many places the ground becomes dry. This opens my heart to take a closer look at our own seasons. Especially the one that’s been clinging to us since March of 2020. How many leaves have you lost during these Covid days to guarantee your inner self that a drought wouldn’t weaken your roots? Not some but all of our lives have changed. New careers are being shaped while others have had to readjust to remote learning for their children, doing office work in a very tiny spare room and eating less because with so much uncertainty the next dollar might be weeks away. When I ask of your personal leaves and how many have you dropped that might include old habits, one time daily outings, working out in a real gym to no longer trusting your neighbors and family members because they might have come in contact with Covid. There for a while people were joking about Covid 15, which was a gain in weight. Completely natural to hit the food during uncertain times. For the longest time I was giving myself permission to go unshaven and let the hair look like a 1970’s Classic Rock band. Then one day I looked in the bathroom mirror and saw the inner child holding onto something that wasn’t positive. Losing my leaves meant I needed to reshape my process of protest. It’s very obvious that we can’t win this Covid thing without shedding leaves. In reality that puts us in control of what leaves or stays. Gain access to what you’re willing to control. But what leaves are you willing to give up? Awareness requires the ability to know. To know what? Being present. Tree leaves feed the earth below. It shelters squirrels in homes above the lay of the land and deer find reason to lay within. Which brings me back to your leaves. With what you’ve let go of has it served as feed for your soil? Gaining access to what you’re willing to control. Daily. Hourly. Just like a tree preparing for the arrival of spring.