Spring is Coming
A few weeks ago the trees were at their peak beauty of the fall season. As I drove around, admiring the glorious bursts of reds, oranges, and yellows covering the hillsides, it hit me that while we often enjoy fall for the beautiful colors, the reality is that the leaves are only changing colors because they are preparing to let go. The changing color of the leaves is actually a mark of loss. But I realized that the trees are God’s picture of how beautiful loss can be. The tree doesn’t try to hold onto something past the season it was meant to have it. The tree lets it go when the right time comes. And when that time comes, the tree doesn’t let go with groaning, crying, and heavy mourning. It doesn’t slump over, die, and completely give up. The tree lets go with bright colors of rejoicing, as if trusting that spring is coming. I think we all could learn a thing or two about loss from the trees. Sometimes God gives us people, places, and things for a long time or even a