But the best thing is what happens to the trees. Starting in early fall, the verdant green begins to morph into glorious golds and reds. Seen from afar, hills are covered with those vivid colors even more beautiful against the sky.
To walk through a forest thus transformed is to leave the mundane and be embraced by a world where the artistry of nature is not only seen, but felt. The cool, dry air is filled by the smell of leaves already fallen, upraised by feet shuffling along. The leaves lift for a moment, then return back to their quiet rest. Wildlife is still active, birds singing while they make their preparations for their flights south for the winter. Deer are moving through the forest and occasionally seen sprinting away from these noisy humans.
In Hawai'i, it's green all year round, and someone like me who grew up amid the cycling of seasons, they are missed. To be back in a place where autumn paints her brilliant canvas, to walk through the forest during this time has brought a quiet thrill to my soul.
I have hiked some local trails, especially in the afternoons. That's when the sun, lower in the sky sends butter-colored light through the trees, illuminating the changed leaves into colors that seem iridescent. I feel I could stop and sit on a stump for hours and simply absorb the beauty. Fall is an experience of the soul, refreshing, replenishing, restoring peace and tranquility.
For me, fall is also a reminder. Over just a couple of weeks, the colors fade into winter's drab and somber cloak. The sounds of birdsong fade as well, and the forest lies silent. Time is passing, things are changing and nothing can stop that relentless progression. I must remember to embrace the brilliance and beauty of the Now before it is irretrievably lost forever.
Tomorrow is promised to no one. We plan to come back next fall, but the year between now and then is fraught with uncertainty.
But I am thankful that I had one more autumn.
1 comment:
Love this! Love fall too!
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