Every autumn I am surprisingly amazed at the gradual transition of nature from the deep greens of summer to the vibrant, alive and ever-changing colors of fall. I remember how the trees and shrubs looked last year, but, in some way, I am once again dazzled with the vast array that mother nature presents us with year after year. It is like a reward after enduring a season of broiling hot temperatures and humidity levels that are normally found in the tropics!
This season is no different. On an unseasonably warm fall afternoon, Joan and I set out on an adventure to capture the early color of the annual fall colors. We didn't have to go far. Trees, in the process of change, dot the landscape all around our home and none of these scenes is farther than five miles away from our front door.
Deep reds, almost cranberry, dot the trunks of numerous trees as the vines that makes their home in such places begin to reflect the metamorphosis. They stand in stark contrast to the deep green of the leaves still hanging on for dear life if only for a few more days or week or two. Clear blue skies bring those marvelous colors out even more.
Some trees are tinged on the upper reaches of their branches with the colors that the entire plant will sport within a matter of days. Warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights hurry the colors to the surface of the leaves making the transition a living, breathing creature.
I can be driving along at times and out of the corner of my eye spot some brightly colored tree or bush. My reaction is to pull off the road immediately and take the sight in as though I will never see anything like it again. In a way, the fact is that I won't see that same kind of image again. Each plant, each leaf, like we human beings, is different. Although a tree may have yellow leaves, if you look closely enough, you may notice that on that same tree, perhaps even the same branch, you will see several different shades of that very same yellow. It is a marvel of nature how she paints her creation in such subtle and majestic ways.
As we move deeper into the season and the temperatures cool even more, the fall colors with emerge even more brightly and I won't be the only one stunned by their beauty. It is important, I think, to take these brief visitations of color in. They are God's gift to us and delight us year after year. He brightens our lives with the gift of His creation and we must be good stewards of that creation for it reflects His overwhelming love for us.
So this autumn, get out, take a walk, and absorb what nature has to offer. You won't be disappointed and may even be surprised by what happens to you as you surround yourself with the tangible evidence of God's love for the world in general, and the human race in particular. It will relax you. It will inspire you. And a walk in the glory of the season may even change your life. Whatever happens, one thing is for sure. We live within a spectacular creation!
