Oh, little oak tree, what are you doing?
All through the winter you stubbornly held on to your leaves. Through wind and snow and ice and all manner of creepy, flappy, chattery critters, you clung to what you once were. Perhaps you looked to some of your older, taller siblings, and saw how they too clung to their pasts and thought it was the thing you were called to do.
You are not.
Your leaves have served their purpose. Let them go.
Yes, you will stand naked and all will see your crocked branches and your cracked bark. Truth is, we can see most of that now. Your tight grip on those rustling reminders of last spring and summer have not prevented you from being exposed. So, let go.
Are you afraid? I can understand why you might be. Those dead leaves are what you remember and the future is just a hint and a guess and a wish or two. Are you worried these will be the only leaves you will ever have? Oh, tree. Can you trust me enough to believe me when I say, new leaves are already growing inside you?
Soon they will start to spring forth and you will have to choose between holding the shadow of yesterday or lifting up the new beauty only you can bring into the world.
Life is better together,
Shawn
Big Rubber Band Ball 