By: Tanvi Maharaja
As I write this, the first snowfall of the season that we received last night, is melting away into a slush under the morning rain. Whatever little remained of the brilliant fall leaves was blown away earlier this week by strong gusts of wind, and washed down in rain. The ground lays scattered with leaves of various hues, mostly yellow and brown at this point, but a few scattered reds and purples too.
To a child, everything is magical. But to me, fall was especially so. The leaves just changed color, as if under a fairy’s magic spell.
Like a grand festival, leaves put on this mesmerizing carnival of colors! And, as I grew older, I learned that this was pure science.
The leaves stop making that green chemical, chlorophyll, due to a decreasing amount of sunlight in autumn. This brings the underlying carotenes and xanthophylls to the surface as chlorophyll gets sparse (College of Environmental Science and Forestry, www.esf.edu). This results in that splendid display that we marvel at! Doesn’t science just awe you?
Besides, isn’t that a beautiful metaphor for life too? When we do not receive enough of the nourishing love, affection, and care, our radiance fades too.
Sometimes the underlying melancholy and anger comes through. It is an equally shocking, mesmerizing experience.
The important thing to remember is, just like Mother Nature, we have to let go. Knowing, and knowing for sure, that this is temporary, and eventually, even the darkest hour passes. Soon we will come full circle and life will be normal again.
Life will turn green again.
And we will be more wise, more experienced, more magical!
In the meantime, it does not hurt to let our magic, our essence come through. Let the fall pass. You may discover a stronger you. It is possible that you may actually discover that innate courage, bravery, and integrity, are your defining characteristics. You may discover some part of you that was buried for too long. This is magic of a different kind: a carnival of emotions.
Some of these feelings may make us proud, knowing the struggles we went through to get to this point. Some feeling may shock us and others may relieve us.
But it is always OK.
It is OK to let go.
It is OK to let your emotions out.
It is OK to not be always strong, always smiling, always green.
It is OK to be you.
References:
Why Leaves Change Color. Retrieved from Why Leaves Change Color
Community Voices for Health 