A Year of Gratitude – October 15, 2024

I found my gratitude in a place that often causes discomfort today. It was summed up in this leaf hanging on the sugar maple tree in our yard. When I saw the leaf late in the afternoon, I realized that it was the perfect photo to go with the feelings I had today.

I don’t always like change in my life. I like to try new things; I like to learn new things. But true change can be so difficult. It can be scary.

Just like this leaf, change can also be beautiful. For without change, this leaf would only be green. There would be no space for it to turn the beautiful gold and russet tones that it will become in the next few weeks.

When these green leaves change to gold and red, they make a carpet on our lawn. We crunch through them to take Penny Lane on long walks. My children used to play in those golden leaves when they were small. The leaves are so beautiful that they would come inside with collections of golden leaves, ready to press between the pages of thick hardback books.

I have only to look at these golden leaves each year to be reminded of those sweet days. And today, I needed only to glimpse a leaf turning from bright green to beautiful peach and golden hues to be reminded that change can be beautiful if only we choose to see it as the beginning of a new possibility instead of the end of things as we know them.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.