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.