The Leaf (Part 1 of 3)

Many have heard, been told, or know the story of friends. No, not the TV show, but actual friends. You know, some are leaves, some are branches, and some are roots. Out of those three types of friends, only one will stick around forever. Even after the tree is long gone and cut down, only one will still remain. Which is that you ask? That is the root.

Now, regardless of how hard this topic is to discuss or accept, it is just mere truth. Everyone that enters your life is not meant to stay forever. Everyone that calls you ‘friend’ will not be that BFF or that “ace koom boom”, or even running buddy. What I think may of us fail at is deciphering the difference between the leaf, the branch, and the root. So let us break them down, shall we?

The Leaf
On any tree (especially in the northern and Midwest states) there is going to come a time when leaves will change color, loosen themselves, and either fall off or be blown away by the wind. When this time, better known as season, comes, the leaf will depart. In the warmer states, the changing of leaves is not always seen, but trust, those same leaves you see on that tree have not been there every year. In my time spent in the south, I noticed how the leaves would become loose and then detach themselves. Once the spring and summer seasons came back around, new leaves could be seen growing on the branches. But I made mention of the color change for a reason. Every leaf that grows on your limbs and branches may not go through the noticeable color change; which signals when it is preparing to depart, but you still must let them know. Every leaf will not leave at the same time or for the same reason. Yet and still, they must depart. Their time is fulfilled and in the coming season, they will be replaced by a new growing bud.

We as humans fight so hard to hold on to people and things that have either fulfilled their time or are no good for us. Have you ever seen a tree branch fighting to hold on to a leaf? Would look kind of silly wouldn’t it? When the wind blows and that leaf detaches itself from its stem or branch, the tree allows it to happen because it is a part of natural order. We mess up this order or cycle by fighting to keep what is attempting to detach itself.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reads, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. Further down in verse six it reads, “A time to get (gain), and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away”.

Heavy words right there, but they are said for a reason. Every season that comes has a purpose. IN the spring, new things grow, sprout, and new life begins. The rain gives nutrients and those leaves attached to you, grow. As summer rolls in, the leaves continue to grow and flourish; sharing in the nutrients that are given from the roots through the branches and limbs.
Then the chill of autumn comes and the change begins. This is where verse six comes into play. The time to cast away has arrived. In the warm seasons, your time to gain and keep was in play, now in the colder season, it is time to relinquish and let go. As the fall season comes in full fledged, more and more of those leaves change color; more of those leaves begin weakening their connection, preparing for detachment. As they fall away, the tree itself is being prepared for the next season. What season is next, you ask? It is winter.

Winter is often viewed as sad, lonely, cold, morose, and well dead, but oh how it is far from that. Though no new, bright, and blooming life is seen on the tree, there is much going on within the trunk and underground with the roots. During the winter season, the roots are preparing for another year of life. Nutrients are flowing through the trunk and remaining branches, to not only keep it alive during this cold season, but to strengthen it for the upcoming spring. When the spring comes, the tree will be strong enough to withhold all of that which comes with it. Now, how does all of this relate to us? Well for starters, we are the tree. We are the ones who hold the branches, limbs, and leaves. As every season comes we obtain new life so long as we are alive, well, and strong to handle such. If in the previous seasons or years we held onto some leaves or branches we should have let go of, we set ourselves back and ultimately run the risk of becoming infected. Should become sick and are not strong enough to repair ourselves, we will not only NOT make it through the cold and wintery season, but ultimately, we die. This is why it is crucial as well as important to allow leaves to leave when they should. In our lives, these leaves are known as our associates, peers, passers-by, and maybe even our co-workers. Everyone you meet and converse with is NOT your friend. Everyone is not a root. It only takes a few roots for a plant to grow and stay strong and everyone does not hold the qualifications for this role. Do not be upset about it, because just think: just as someone is a leaf in your life, you are just a leaf in someone else’s. When their time and task is fulfilled, let them go; much better to do it now than to suffer from not doing so, later.

~”To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”~

Has the season for that leaf ended?
Next up—Branches! Tricky, tricky! They are stronger than leaves, but not as strong as a root. Can you decipher between the two? Even more so, do you have the strength it takes to cut them off when it is time to prune?