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Monday Motivating Moment

November 7, 2005

Your Weekly Attitude Booster

Gluing The Fallen Leaves

One beautiful autumn afternoon, a father saw his little son picking up the fallen leaves in the backyard. He watched as the little boy tried to glue the leaves back onto the tree. The little boy became increasingly frustrated as his glue failed to achieve the job that he was so determined to complete. Finally, the father asked the boy what he was doing and he replied that he was trying to put the fallen leaves back where they belong.

The father patiently explained to the young man that it was natural for the leaves to fall every year and that it was nature's way of making room for new leaves in the spring. The boy inquired as to what happened to the fallen leaves. His father assured him that the leaves were taken care of as nature intended. Regardless of how they are treated (bagged, burned or simply left on the ground), they ultimately play an important role in creating fertile soil.

It was difficult for the little boy to comprehend what his father was sharing with him. It is also difficult for many adults who try to paste their own "leaves" back on the "tree" to understand that "what is done is done." Even the greatest efforts and intentions of putting those leaves back where they once were will not yield success.

Even if the leaves seem to stick, they have not, will not, and can not. They will most assuredly fall to the ground again because that life force which attached them to the tree limbs has naturally died away. Without that natural life force, no leaf will live and no leaf will come alive again.

And so it is with human beings having a human experience. We may morn certain events, people and situations in our lives that have become detached and moved on. We may want to revive that which has naturally moved on. However, we are merely creating the needed space for new events, people, and situations to enter our lives. It is the way of nature.

Once we understand that there are some things that we cannot control and we relax in the assurance that all is as it should be, we will find peace, harmony and optimism. Nature is a superb teacher in the ways that life must work through change. Although no one likes change (except a baby with a wet diaper), change is indeed good for people and Mother Nature.

What leaves have you been trying to glue back onto the tree?

Have a wonderful week observing and enjoying the leaves!

Affirmation for the Week:

“I will let the leaves fall, as they must. I will enjoy the beauty that they bring while they are filled with the life force. I will view the fallen leaves as an indication that those leaves once served an important purpose, but that purpose has now changed.”

Have a carefully crafted opining week!

Mary Rau-Foster,

Copyright 2005 by Mary Rau-Foster. All rights reserved.
However, if you find this information helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to print this page and put it on your bulletin board, or download an Adobe PDF file with a printable version. Thank you.

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