Fall leaves fall ....

Photo by Oliver Hihn on Unsplash

Fall, Leaves, Fall

by Emily Bronte

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night and shorten day;

Every leaf speaks bliss to me

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow

Blossom where the rose should grow;

I shall sing when night's decay

Ushers in a drearier day.

Trees release their leaves not out of defeat, but as a necessary form of preparation for winter. In doing so, they conserve energy and nutrients for new growth in the spring. This mirrors the process of letting go of what no longer serves us to conserve our own mental and emotional energy.  

As the trees shed their leaves, so Autumn can be a time for releasing old habits, negative thoughts, and emotional baggage to make way for new growth.

When the leaves are gone, the tree's bare branches are exposed. This state of being "stripped bare" symbolizes vulnerability and openness. By shedding the things that hide our true selves, we make way for authenticity and self-discovery.

Just as trees trusts that spring will follow winter, we can learn to trust that releasing the old will make room for a new, healthier chapter.

Writing prompt:  

• What do you need to 'let go'?  What will be released? Set a timer and write for six minutes.
• What might you may discover about yourself when you are 'stripped bare'? Explore the answer to this question in your writing. 
• Do you look forward to a new, healthier chapter in your life? Write about what it looks like.