Stubborn Leaves

The first few weeks of fall are always beautiful, but fleeting.  Not long after the alluring colors of the leaves fill the sky do they become crisp in the dry air, turn to a dull brown, and fall to the ground.  Naked trees cover the landscape, leaving you feeling cold and alone like the trees must feel without the warmth and elegance of the leaves that once enveloped them like a blanket.  As a student teacher my senior year of high school, right outside the first graders’ door was this tremendous tree that seemed infallible to the change.  Green leaves adorn the branches for what seems like eternity until finally, they all turn an impossible shade of goldenrod, creating an image second only to the sun.  This state does not last very long either.  I watch as the children become more restless each day, staring out the window at the tree, waiting for what they know is coming.  All of the leaves fall within forty-eight hours, creating a frenzy at recess only equaled by the first snowfall heavy enough to allow for the building of the first snowman.

Luckily, I happened to be present that day with my camera for photography class.  The children ran outside screaming, barely taking the time to properly zip their jackets, put on their gloves and tie their shoes.  The photographs I took that day made up my favorite roll of film for the entire semester.  Capturing the looks on the children’s faces was unforgettable as I became consumed by my own nostalgia.  And guess what?  Those kids, completely absorbed in play with happiness beaming from their faces, weren’t at Chuck E. Cheese or a theme park, they weren’t playing video games or watching T.V., they were running around outside, connecting with nature, and completely content.