Thoughts on a Yellow Leaf

The winds from the north blew heartily upon the unsuspecting campus, with the sun shining ever brighter despite the drop in temperature. As I raked my hand through my hair for what seemed like the hundredth time that afternoon, my attention suddenly turned toward a lone, yellow, leaf, caught in the breeze, rising steadily. Up it went, in stark contrast to the clear blue sky it reached for, as it fluttered against the glistening windows of the tower, as if without a care.

Things such as this help the world, in all its chaos and confusion, slow down and become clearer, even if for only a moment. We must take care not to abandon the pursuit of God in neglecting the small joys He gives us in this life.

Those who do not, or cannot, see these trinkets of heaven constantly find themselves in a rather downtrodden situation, but anyone can learn this simple skill.

It starts with gratitude, little prayers of thanksgiving that give glory to god and the opportunity to enjoy His creation so graciously. The more one takes a millisecond to do so will, over time, see that millisecond turn to seconds, seconds to minutes, and minutes to hours, as the more glory is given to the Father, the more the thanksgiver understands His good heart, and the more ur hearts align with His. Alignment with His heart produces in us a desire to see His good work completed the His kingdom furthered. Coupled with our faith, this compels us to do good works, not out of obligation, but out of an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all we have been blessed with.

This cycle of thankfulness is one I strive to repeat and embody as a man of God.

So, while we make our way in this life, find your yellow leaf. Find something to smile about, something to laugh about, and, most importantly, something to thank God for.

There is an opportunity to give thanks in every moment, we are given; it is our duty to seize it.

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-JDH