The Changing Aspen

I watched the Aspen tree outside my room this morning.

Its delicate yellowing leaves hung gently from its branches.

It seemed to be at peace, absorbing the slight sun that snuck through the clouds.

When a gush of wind rushed through the courtyard and whirled around the precious vines of this beautiful tree, it bent in agony.

Soon, the weaker of the leaves released their grasp from the tree and floated on the wind.

They whirled around the tree like dancing fairies, all lit up from an inner beauty.

I thought about this tree, so useless in controlling the fading of its leaves, and the loosening of its grip on summer.

I thought of the time that moves, with no one's permission.

Whirling, twirling around us like a loose scarf in the wind.

I wanted to protect the tree.

I wanted to stop the time from changing the precious branches into barren sticks.

A fear crept into my body as I watched leaf after leaf fall to the ground, completely disconnected from the life it had known.

I thought how I tried to stop the time in my life.

To avoid the unknown of the future, by protecting what I could.

But just like the Aspen tree, time still passes me by, changing who I thought I was, and taking away the leaves I had grown so fond of.

Then wind calmed, and a gentle pour of rain dripped onto the tree.

The rain gave the remaining, stronger leaves a bright new color.

Now the tree has rid itself of the weak, discolored leaves and is left with only the most powerful, vibrant ones.

And again, I thought of myself.

Could it be that time is meant to pass, for the mere purpose of making us stronger, more beautiful as we go along?

Now the wind doesn't appear to be such a foe.

The wind is restoring, loving, and precise.

It takes only what is not needed, and leaves the strongest to stay.

Don't be afraid of the wind of change, let it move you, shape you, and make you better.