Fallen Leaf

Snowfall to leaf fall, May to September, I was here, in this very spot, I remember, last May in a spring snow, pondering about forever, now I am back and the Aspen have turned color and begun to fall, I stop and listen to the leaves in the aspen trees shaking in the breeze, I sit on the ground and let go my inner urge to hurry, reminding myself out here time is not a worry. And then I become aware of that familiar feeling of gentleness that comes with sitting still all alone in a wild, out here, where I feel no need to strive, where I am most aware I am alive.  I stand, intending to go, but looking down I see a single fallen leaf and somehow, it connects me to this spot and I cannot leave. I sit back down, I feel an inner touch that holds me in this place, it is soft, I breathe it in and as I do a gentle wind rustles the leaves and I feel a peace that is not about trying, it’s about being. So I just keep sitting as more leaves fall, I watch them, mesmerized, energized deep inside, and that soft touch moves through me from head to toe. Eventually I stand again to move on, and this time I feel ready to go as my mind turns to thoughts of the coming change from leaf fall to snowfall.