To find meaning in a serendipitous occurrence, a casual observation, or the simple of of being is one of my main joys of discovering the beauty in natural design.
Most days, I miss the opportunity to unfold from the structure of work to stretch my eyes and imagination. Today, after a full day, I needed to balance my psyche. I wrapped myself up and wandered into the brisk dusk.
Even though we are well into winter, the mild California temperatures allow trees to keep their leaves past fall’s foliage shedding. Even now, a generous amount of rust brown leaves continue to peel off of nearly-naked maple branches.
They scatter on the sidewalk and lie undisturbed overnight, allowing moisture to gather beneath their undersides. In the morning, the leaves are scattered willy-nilly by the breeze and human footsteps.
Left behind are sharply-defined impressions; dark gray, 5-pointed marks on the concrete. More substantial than a shadow that shifts and cannot exist on its own, they are beautiful in their dichotomous semi-permanent, semi-ephemeral state. These chalk paintings of nature will fade slowly over the course of a few days, but for the time span that I view them, the delicate stenciled shapes overlaid in temporal gradients appear wholly anchored.
What I find beautiful is the fact that these leaves, even after dying and falling from their perches, have managed to create one last, unexpected beautiful expression upon the world.
In this, I see a parallel to human life. I would like to hope that beyond my actual lifespan, an echo of my heart, spirit, passion, and accomplishments may find a second life in the context of other lives or future circumstances. I realize that encore presence too, shall fade, but to make such a graceful, gentle exit and to have had the additional opportunity to inspire would be indicative of having had a truly meaningful life.
That thought is comforting, as the art at my feet is beautiful.
