LESSONS LEARNED FROM NATURE THE BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN LEAVES by Jesse Reyes It was a lovely November afternoon, almost towards the end of fall. The outside temperature was about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, a little unusual for this time of year. The sun had come out of hiding and was now blazing ferociously as if trying to make up for the previous days when thick grayish-white clouds held It at bay, causing the temperatures to dip. The day before, I had driven through the condominiums next to my backyard on my way to the gym at Lifetime Fitness to do my workout. The leaves of the trees along the way had changed to different hues of amber, brown, red, orange, purple, gold and combinations of these colors. In one area, there was a row of several trees next to each other, that had leaves of a different color from the tree next to it. I had to stop a couple of times just to soak in and enjoy the stunning array of colors of the leaves of this amazing phenomenon called autumn. There are a couple of man-made lakes next to the condos. One day a herd of Canadian geese and a few mallard ducks were floating lazily in these lakes, Some were just wandering about searching for food. I wondered how they kept warm during the cold days of autumn and winter. God has apparently made their feathers in such a way that they provide insulation to their bodies and they also grow extra feathers during the cold days. They also have scales around their legs and eat a lot during the summer and fall to build an extra layer of body fat, for them to withstand the low temperatures and the fierce winds of winter. Three days before, I had driven my son to his work in Oakbrook and saw the leaves of the trees that I passed also displaying various colors. I was struck with awe at this spectacular sight of nature. I felt like I was viewing a magnificent work of art by the noted French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Why not? The Great Creator of this world we live in has produced a wonderful world for His creatures to enjoy! I almost hit the car in front of me as I took my eyes off the road for a split second to have a glimpse of the magnificent vistas on both sides of the road. I wondered how I had not appreciated these trees in all their splendor before. I then realized that when I was still working I would leave my home early in the morning and would come home at night when it was already dark, never able to fully enjoy the wondrous sights of fall. I had always wondered why the leaves change their color during fall. Apparently when it gets colder and the days get shorter, the leaves dont get adequate sunshine, the process of making food called photosynthesis, coming to a screeching halt. As a result, the trees use up the food that has been stored during the summer. This in turn causes the green pigment in the leaves to be less dominant and allows the other colors to come forth. As the leaves practically get starved, they fall off from the branches to the ground because of gravity. So today, the bright sun really enhanced the beauty of the magnificent autumn leaves of varied colors. I decided to take some pictures before the leaves of red and gold, borrowing the words of the song sung by Nat King Cole, had all fallen to the ground. I parked my car near the entrance to our subdivision and took picture after picture, to my hearts delight. My ipad camera had a feast. In one busy street it seemed like anywhere I pointed my camera, the view was breath-taking. I did not need to go far to places like the Skyline Drive in the East (one of the best places to enjoy the colors of fall, I think) or the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia (where I had lived for 2 years). Right here, just a stones throw away from where I lived were amazing vistas with arrays of gorgeous colors. When you view the pictures I took, you will agree with me when I say that autumn is the most beautiful and grandest of the four seasons. There is a relatively large man-made lake not far from my home that was now dark green in color due to an overgrowth of algae. Around the lake are several trees also displaying a dazzling panoply of colors. Towering and resplendent pine trees and the hanging branches and leaves of some weeping willows, as well as some flowering weeds, completed the majestic picture. My enjoyment in capturing these delightful scenes created by Mother Nature was so profound that I failed to notice that the sun was rapidly setting in the west. How I wished I could be like Joshua of Biblical fame, able to command the sun to stand still, and continue my euphoric experience. But alas, it was not to be. I walked to my car and headed home, contented that I had captured what needed to be captured. Tomorrow was going to be another day--perhaps completely different from this wonderful day where the autumn leaves had displayed their utmost beauty. Lessons Learned: 1) God is a God of order and beauty. He has created a wonderful world for us to enjoy and we should take advantage of it. 2) God takes good care of His creation, of which we are a part.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 06:59:59 +0000
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