Autumn Leaves
As the heat of summer softens
And autumn’s cool breath fills the air,
The changing leaves become a lesson
Of the beauty woven from many hues.
What was once a canopy of green,
Breathing life through photosynthesis,
Unfolds into crimson, gold, and amber,
A symphony of color and belonging.
No leaf exists apart from the tree,
No tree apart from the forest,
No forest apart from earth and sky.
Each life depends upon another;
Each receiving, each giving.
In forests touched by transformation,
As nature prepares for winter’s rest,
We too are invited to slow our pace,
To be present to this moment’s grace.
And in the brilliance of autumn leaves,
To glimpse once more the mystery:
That all things belong to one another,
Woven into creation’s sacred web.
