A Leaf

I'll tell you the story of a leaf. Not just any leaf, but one I saw day by day, a special one with magical powers, well not quite as magical as a magician performing tricks or an occultist summoning… well whatever they call forth, no this leaf had a magical resiliency.

Where as all the other leaves had departed for the winter, this leaf , we'll call it “Lucky” or “Unlucky” held on, bended did not break, was a little rough around the edges, a bit crinkly, dried up, yet stood fast in its place of honor, as Spring approached.

True, it wanted to flee the cold and snows of winter like all the rest, but it hung on to it’s spot for dear life.

Its friends were all gone. All the trees were bare. It was the only leaf left in the forest.  The rest of the leaves had left, one-by-one, two-by-two, or in great clusters if a strong wind was blowing. 

“There were thousands of us,” the leaf thought, “and now I am the only one.” 

But this leaf was proud: “If a fight the wind, the snow and the rain wanted, by golly that’s what I'll give them.” And it did, clinging resolutely to it’s fragile branch.

But at what cost? When the wind did blow, the leaf rattled and wheezed like a sick old man's dying breaths. And the fierce cold made it ache to its very bones or the leafy equivalent of such.

Frankly, it felt miserable and wished for those warm, sun-dappled days. “Oh that tickled,” the leaf giggled to itself, thinking of those happy warm days when the sun's rays streamed down upon it.

And to tell you the truth, the tree it was on, had been for some time, trying extra hard to get rid of the leaf. Yes, indeed! The tree swayed the leaf’s branch all around and extra hard during windy weather, just to dislodge the poor leaf. The tree wanted a fresh start and fresh leaves, not last season's regrets which the leaf now represented. 

Meanwhile the leaf reminisced: “When was I born? It seemed quite a while ago, when I was just a little bud. Those were the times when every day was an adventure and curiosity.”

The leaf was tired. Soon it would sleep. Soon warm Spring would arrive as it dreamed of joining millions of other castaways in a journey south.

Its last waking thoughts were, “I want to go to Caba in Baja, California. Give me two shots of tequila and some Van Halen and I'll be rocking the night away. Just keep the Mexican leaf cutter ants and the Federales away from me. YODO! You Only Die Once… then it’s a bit tough coming back. I am the one and only,” it sang softly.

It never woke up.

Spring had come and the leaf was gone. It made its journey finally. How close it got to the land of its dreams, only the leaf knew…

Image Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/360780620133698772/