Last Leaves

In a staff meeting this week, one of my coworkers mentioned the trees that he noticed were still hanging on to their leaves, even after the impressive winds we had this past weekend. (So much wind. Seriously.)

His comments were timely! I updated this post because the last leaves on the trees are something we notice too. We all know it’s coming, but the stark difference between the kaleidoscope of fall and the barrenness of winter is sometimes jarring.

However, the leaves blowing around on the ground and those last few trees that never seem to give up their leaves still keep me firmly grounded in fall. I love the idea of trees not wanting to let go either. Transitions are hard, even when we know deep down that their tough times aren’t going to last forever.

Take a walk this week and take stock of the trees who are still hanging on. What kind of tree is it? Does it do this every year? Why might it be different from its neighbors? If we project human emotions onto the tree, how do we think it would it be feeling?

A fitting book to pair with this idea is The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade. It’s a new book from a local Wisconsin author, and it takes the story of a leaf at the end of the season and dives deeper into the anxiety that comes with facing our fears.

Enjoy the leaves as they continue to fall!