Have you ever thought about the lifespan of a leaf? If birthed prematurely and the temperature drops, it dies in infancy. If conditions are favorable it grows into a healthy living organism with characteristics diverse as the color palette. It plays with the family its born into and worries for nothing. It doesn’t care how it looks or compare itself to the other leaves to feed on insecurity. 

The leaf waves to passers by when the wind blows. It drinks its fill when the rain falls. The leaf smiles in the sunshine and holds its peace on cloudy days. As the seasons change, the leaf freely enjoys its life with an impressive level of contentment. Even when the leaf separates from its home attached to the branch, it does so gracefully. It travels through the air in joyful anticipation of fellowship with leaves from other trees once it lands on the ground. The colors have changed, so have the textures. Slowly drifting on the ground, the leaves enjoy each other’s company without worry of its last moment. Some leaves are raked up while others are left to marry the soil that nurtures the tree. Either way, the leaf’s life cycle has run its course until next spring. What a beauty to admire.

We humans can learn something from observing the lifespan of a leaf. Contentment, grace and patience are the lessons that stand out the most. Contentment is not included in the list of spiritual gifts, but there are those who have been gifted with an extraordinary abundance of it. I am not one of those people but I’m learning how to be content in the moment and not be so anxious. It is not as easy as the leaf makes it look but I can see the fruits of my baby steps. Grace is something we all are given and can extend to others. Don’t take it for granted. Patience is a virtue with multiple dimensions. We tend to have little patience for certain things and sometimes too much patience for other things like foolishness.

Lessons can be learned everywhere we go, we just have to be open to learning and applying lessons to our daily lives. If you struggle with contentment, grace and patience, take a moment to watch God’s creations. You will find a reflection of your journey in nature and learn how to be just as calm and carefree. What does the lifespan of a leaf tell you about your life? Do you appreciate the moments you are given? Do you make the most of your time alive and love freely?