I love to see the leaves change color in autumn, don’t you? Except that it’s a myth. Leaves don’t “change color.”
My wife and I often walk in the woods. We’re blessed to live near Mount Airy Forest in Cincinnati, the oldest “urban forest” in the U.S., and what we’ve learned (as transplants from Southern California) is that those shimmery yellows, oranger-than-a-pumpkin oranges, and sunset reds are actually the leaves’ true colors.
And, oh, how beautiful they make the world!
All that green? It’s just a cheery chlorophyll veneer. But when the cold “snaps,” the chlorophyll rushes down to hide amongst the roots, and the leaves’ true colors become visible. It’s then that we see how beautiful—and unique—each leaf truly is. Though, sadly, some are burnt by the sun, or turn bitter-brittle when the chlorophyll abandons them.
I pray that as we reach the apex, the autumn of our lives, each of us will reveal our true colors so deeply and so fully, that others will breathlessly exclaim,
“Oh, how beautiful they’ve made the world!”
Now I love Fall even more! I am definitely in the Fall of my life. I hope there are a few colors starting to show.
Oh, they are, Sheryl.
Beautiful photo ^^;
Love this, Mitch!
Thank you, Anonymous.
What a lovely post. Never knew this. Thank you!
I didn’t know this. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure, Andi!
Thank you, God for creating such beautiful colors!
Stunning photos! Autumn colours really cheer my soul.
Hey there Mitch, Have you noticed even traffic lights are changing color! jerry
You don’t say, Jerry!
What a beautiful sentiment. I do find that physical appearance means less as we age. Vanity may not diminish (LOL). But character becomes more evident.
Love this analogy!
Glad it spoke to you, Carolyn!
I love where this reflection ended up.
Such a beautiful analogy!
Thank you.
Never knew that. And such a wonderful reflection. Thank you, Mitch.
My pleasure, Manu.
You brought tears to my eyes, Mitch. 💖
Aww, bless you, Sandy.
Thank you, Mitch, for sharing such fascinating tree facts and embellishing them with an excellent analogy. 🙂
My pleasure, Nancy.
This caught me off guard in the best way. So beautiful, Mitch!
Thank you, Anonymous!
Beautiful indeed. Thank you so much. I say thank you for sharing a lot because I appreciate the inspiration and beauty used to enrich my life. Thanks again.
My privilege, San.
Heartwarming closing. 🍂
Thank you, Michele.
You’re welcome, Mitch. Take care.
That is fantastic! I never knew that. It makes sense as trials are to make us as pure as gold.
Blessings
Of all your posts, this is the one which has touched me most deeply.
I’m delighted to hear that, Maren.
I think that is exactly why I enjoyed attending my 40th and 50th high school reunions. All that chlorophyll from our youth had drained away and people showed up in their true, autumn colors. Thanks for this inspiring post, Mitch.
My pleasure, Russell. 40th and 50th reunions are “colorful” events indeed.
I needed to read this. I am having a bit of a struggle entering the “fall” of my life because I worry about all the things I’ve planned on doing that I haven’t gotten to yet. This made it seem a little less worrisome.
Glad to hear you found encouragement here, my friend (WordPress calls you “Anonymous”).
Love your photos, brother, as well as the reminder. Sometimes our true colors are not as visible, due to life needs and necessities. However, we too are created uniquely beautiful! Hurrah for our Creative God! Blessings! Anne
Amen, Anne!
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God’s creation is truly amazing!
Amen to that, Peggy!
Thank you Mitch! Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the analogy with the leaves and true colors. As I’ve gotten older I realize that prayer and the spiritual disciplines teach me that God’s will is becoming my “own true will all along”. Fall is the perfect time for reflection and prayer.
Aside – We get about three days of Fall here in Fort Worth. The summers get longer as the climate changes. Thanks for the reminder of what we can miss so easily.
My privilege, Gregory.