HANG IN THERE LITTLE LEAF
HANG IN THERE, LITTLE LEAF . . .
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO WRITE this next piece. I'm sure there's some philosophical wisdom contained somewhere in this observation - but I'm not sure I can tap into its essence. It's one of those thoughts a person has that when it comes time to verbalize it or in some way express it, words fail. Nevertheless . . .
Every morning I look out the window at a certain tree, and I always take note of its foliage. In the winter the tree is barren; in the spring the leaves are beginning to bud out. In the summer the tree is adorned with thousands of leaves. But then in the fall, the leaves begin to fall - one by one. Each day there are less and less leaves . . .
By the time we eventually get into late September and then November, I'll have picked out a specific group of leaves to check out each morning to see how long it takes for them all to disappear - all the while wondering how many thousands of leaves that tree must have had!
This year my selected group of leaves seemed to deplete quite quickly. That entire tree is now completely devoid of leaves - except one, stubborn leaf. I've been watching that one leaf now for weeks, and he's still hanging in there! I find myself rooting for him. I know that when the day comes that I look out the window and he's gone, I'll feel a bit sad.
Again, I'm not sure what lesson or significance any of this has; but I figured I'd at least honor this tough little character by snapping a picture and writing a few words about his tenacity!
If any of you has some deep insight or profound thoughts on this lone leaf (or my sanity,) feel free to email me your words of wisdom; and I'll post them in an upcoming newsletter!
LEAF STORY UPDATE . . .
I HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE COMMENT on my “lone leaf” story featured in last week’s newsletter. Here are some excerpts from several of the subscribers:
But the definitive response was from my dear friends Clarence and Mardella Carlson of Iowa City, Iowa. Mardella wrote:
Today I received (and read) this wonderful, little children’s book. It gave a poignant account of what may be going through the mind of a leaf throughout its earthly tenure. It’s entitled “the Fall of Freddie the Leaf – A Story of Life for All Ages” written by Leo Buscaglia (an author I’m sure many of you are familiar with.)
Thank you Clarence and Mardella – and to all who commented on my leaf story. Oh incidentally, the little guy’s still hangin’ on as of 1/4/17.
For those of you who missed "HANG IN THERE, LITTLE LEAF," click here.
AS SEVERAL OF YOU KNOW, this winter for several weeks I'd been watching a solitary leaf which was tenaciously hanging on to an otherwise barren tree. I'd written about this stubborn little leaf several times in the newsletter,
And in fact my good friends Clarence and Mardella Carlson of Iowa City, Iowa even sent me a children's book entitled The Fall of Freddie the Leaf which used the falling leaf metaphor as a way to help children understand death.
So as I'd been doing every day since winter began, I again looked out the window at my usual time - around 11 AM - on Monday, January 30 to check on my leaf only to discover it was gone. "Well, it finally let go!" was my first thought. I kind of mulled it over for a few seconds wondering if there was some deep meaning to it all and couldn't quite come up with anything too significant. So as far as I was concerned, that was that, until . . .
Jack Stinogel called a couple hours later to inform me that his sister (and my dear friend) Pam had just passed away.
A couple of days later while talking to Jack, I shared the story of the leaf's fate coinciding with Pam's untimely death. He in turn shared a private, equally-coincidental occurrence regarding Pam's passing and the Lennon Sisters. It really makes you wonder!
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
- Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio
One, lone leaf hangs in there!
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO WRITE this next piece. I'm sure there's some philosophical wisdom contained somewhere in this observation - but I'm not sure I can tap into its essence. It's one of those thoughts a person has that when it comes time to verbalize it or in some way express it, words fail. Nevertheless . . .
Every morning I look out the window at a certain tree, and I always take note of its foliage. In the winter the tree is barren; in the spring the leaves are beginning to bud out. In the summer the tree is adorned with thousands of leaves. But then in the fall, the leaves begin to fall - one by one. Each day there are less and less leaves . . .
By the time we eventually get into late September and then November, I'll have picked out a specific group of leaves to check out each morning to see how long it takes for them all to disappear - all the while wondering how many thousands of leaves that tree must have had!
This year my selected group of leaves seemed to deplete quite quickly. That entire tree is now completely devoid of leaves - except one, stubborn leaf. I've been watching that one leaf now for weeks, and he's still hanging in there! I find myself rooting for him. I know that when the day comes that I look out the window and he's gone, I'll feel a bit sad.
Again, I'm not sure what lesson or significance any of this has; but I figured I'd at least honor this tough little character by snapping a picture and writing a few words about his tenacity!
If any of you has some deep insight or profound thoughts on this lone leaf (or my sanity,) feel free to email me your words of wisdom; and I'll post them in an upcoming newsletter!
* * *
LEAF STORY UPDATE . . .
Above book sent by Clarence and Mardella Carlson
I HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE COMMENT on my “lone leaf” story featured in last week’s newsletter. Here are some excerpts from several of the subscribers:
- “So loved your leaf [picture and] story. My conclusion is that I think it is staying on there to give you something to look at each morning and keep your mind wondering . . . Wish I had a leaf to watch here.” – Marilyn Garrelts / Spirit Lake, Iowa
- “Enjoyed the newsletter and the saga of the poor [leaf] . . .” – Claudia Warner / Williamsburg, Iowa
- “Oh by the way, that leaf on the tree it is a she . . .” – Janine Gilbert / somewhere down in Florida
But the definitive response was from my dear friends Clarence and Mardella Carlson of Iowa City, Iowa. Mardella wrote:
- “Watch the mail, I'm sending you a book we have used in our family as sympathy, Freddie the Leaf.”
Today I received (and read) this wonderful, little children’s book. It gave a poignant account of what may be going through the mind of a leaf throughout its earthly tenure. It’s entitled “the Fall of Freddie the Leaf – A Story of Life for All Ages” written by Leo Buscaglia (an author I’m sure many of you are familiar with.)
Thank you Clarence and Mardella – and to all who commented on my leaf story. Oh incidentally, the little guy’s still hangin’ on as of 1/4/17.
For those of you who missed "HANG IN THERE, LITTLE LEAF," click here.
* * *
A FINAL WORD ON THAT STUBBORN LEAF . . .
AS SEVERAL OF YOU KNOW, this winter for several weeks I'd been watching a solitary leaf which was tenaciously hanging on to an otherwise barren tree. I'd written about this stubborn little leaf several times in the newsletter,
And in fact my good friends Clarence and Mardella Carlson of Iowa City, Iowa even sent me a children's book entitled The Fall of Freddie the Leaf which used the falling leaf metaphor as a way to help children understand death.
So as I'd been doing every day since winter began, I again looked out the window at my usual time - around 11 AM - on Monday, January 30 to check on my leaf only to discover it was gone. "Well, it finally let go!" was my first thought. I kind of mulled it over for a few seconds wondering if there was some deep meaning to it all and couldn't quite come up with anything too significant. So as far as I was concerned, that was that, until . . .
Jack Stinogel called a couple hours later to inform me that his sister (and my dear friend) Pam had just passed away.
A couple of days later while talking to Jack, I shared the story of the leaf's fate coinciding with Pam's untimely death. He in turn shared a private, equally-coincidental occurrence regarding Pam's passing and the Lennon Sisters. It really makes you wonder!
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
- Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio
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