The Leaves of Lent
I wait in hope for Spring but sense a resistance to the regeneration of life. Dried, curled, fragile leaves remain attached to the tree limbs on which they sprouted and now stubbornly hang. A phenomenon known as marcescence, the leaves remain tethered to a bough and linger for as long as possible throughout the winter. It reminds me of the human struggle to cling to unhelpful beliefs or unhealthy habits, sometimes refusing to let them die and fall to the ground.
Turning Over a New Leaf
The turning of the leaves, differing shades of yellow, hues of red and layers of brown – God’s signature signs of fall swirling into winter. We control none of it. No matter how much we rake and gather the leaves on the ground, they continue to release their hold and descend, letting go. Falling. Even in the dying there is beauty. In the surrender there is regeneration. In the decline there is rising to new life.