The rich red leaves that clothed

the tree outside my window

....just yesterday....

are now carpeting the ground

beneath bare branches.

How can leaves that have clung

so tenaciously all summer,

through thunder and lightening

and wind and rain, decide

to just let go and dance

to earth on a warm sunny day.

The armature of branches, now

bare, appear to stretch toward

heaven and shiver in their

new nakedness

praying......

how shall I protect

myself from winter's

chilling wind and icy frost?

And heaven answers with a patient smile,

"Beneath the chilling winter

is always an invincible

summer that invariably comes

to warm you again."

There are seasons for all living things,

natural cycles.....always loss.....always rebirth....

that teach us what we need to know.

There are reasons and rhythms that only

living in time and space,

and observing with keen awareness

will serve us well.