The Secret Life of Leaves

Here in New England, the annual influx of leaf peepers is well under way. Who could deny anyone the pleasure of the blazing bounty of glorious colors Fall produces; the endless waves of deep red, rich gold, and bright orange punctuated by leaves drifting lazily down to the waiting ground to form carpets of resplendent, crisp color? All of this happens on its own unpredictable schedule, as it always does and should when Mother Nature is in charge.

As flocks of peepers trek into woods, up mountains and on lakes to observe this glorious show, few realize that deep inside the fragile veins of each leaf lies a mystery that reveals itself every fall: the rich splendor of color we so long to witness is quite often the natural colors of the leaves! Leaves are like tiny factories that, during the spring and summer months, produce a chemical at the molecular level called chlorophyll. This is the pigment that interacts with sunshine to cause the leaf to appear green. This process, which provides valuable food to the leaf, is called photosynthesis.  

When there is plenty of sunlight, leaves produce lots of chlorophyll and photosynthesis occurs constantly; thus producing the green color of leaves. During the fall when sunlight begins to shorten and fade, trees are smart enough to shift their energy stores to survive the upcoming winter. They slow down the production of chlorophyll until the leaf reverts back to what is its natural color - red, orange, yellow, or in some cases, green. Trees don't have enough energy to feed all the leaves, so energy again gets shifted to sustaining the tree at the expense of the leaves which cascade down to the ground. 

When you observe the shift to brilliant colors, you're actually observing the brilliant, natural process that gives trees the best chance of surviving harsh winters. Does Mother Nature never cease to amaze? 

Could we use this transitional, colorful season as an opportunity to reflect on our own ever-changing lives? Where do you expend your limited energy in order to survive? What transitions do you need to make to emerge as your colorful, authentic self?