What would it be like to be a leaf? Our talk yesterday got me thinking about that particular question. If anything can top the pumpkin spiciness of October it is leaves. If pumpkins are the mascot of the month, then leaves are the state flower. There is nothing quite like the fashion show that is fall foliage. October leaves get downright flirty. Those saucy oranges, bronzed yellows and flirty reds. It never ceases to amaze and humble me that something which is dying can produce so much beauty. I think all fall trees are really phoenixes in disguise. One day they are green and gorgeous, the next they are on fire with the last embers of life. It really is magical.
Now I could get all scientific and explain how the plant process works and what is really going on chemically behind the scenes, but this is October and as the meme says, "ain't no one got time for that." Instead I will give you my theory on why the leaves look the way they do, and the answer is, they go to leaf school of course. But first, did you know that squirrels are the storks of the plant world? They find the infant leaflings, tuck them away in special knapsacks and then deposit them into special chutes in the tree trunks. From there, the leaflings are taken to nurseries tucked deep in the ground, and they are tended to by the gnomes that live in fairy gardens.
Leaves grow at a fast rate compared to humans, and a few weeks are the same as a year to them. Once the leaflings are old enough to sip dew on their own, they are promoted to leaf school which is held in the trunk of the tree. Each grade level takes them higher up until they reach the branches their senior year. In leaf school the leaflings learn how to unfurl, how to catch the best breeze, and how to detach when the time comes. They learn martial arts leaf style (called crinkle and snap) so that they can protect themselves from predators. They do leaf yoga, leaf mime and begin to talk with their host tree. And yes, there is leaf internet.
But the most important part of leaf school is color communication. A leafs whole life is dedicated to the dazzling dance it will perform in its final days. Color communication intensifies in the senior year of leaf school. The soon to be graduates train day and night doing color drills and pattern sequencing. Not every leaf masters this skill and some stay green and drop out before their song ever begins.
Color communication is the leaf's way of communicating to the outside world exactly what kind of life the leaf has lead. It's dreams and goals, it's fears and frustrations. It is the leafs commentary on literature, love and the world around it. It is to work in harmony with its fellow leaves when the time comes, but at the same time it is to present itself as an individual work of art. A symphony of color with solos interspersed.
Once color communication is mastered, it is time to graduate and move to the world outside. The leaflings are promoted to bud status and are wished well by the tree staff before taking their places at their assigned tubes. The excited buds are ready to burst forth into the spring air and begin their new adventure. but first they must wait for the lights inside the tree to go green and then out they pop.
In the outside world they unfurl like they are taught and soak up the suns rays. They sing to each other and their tune is carried on the breeze through the different levels of the tree. Some leaves act as scouts and detach from the tree early on. Others take their time opening even though they get the green light. But through the spring and summer, they all practice their melodies and color communication. They live, they shade, they observe, and they grow. They communicate with other leaves on other trees and share stories and observances from many miles away.
But soon the summer breezes take on a cold tinge and the matured leaves know that their final performance is coming. They talk amongst themselves and coordinate when they will begin to turn. While the leaves are more concerned with communicating their legacy, the trees are more interested in seeing whose color song will be the best. Trees are really vain creatures and keep track throughout the years as to who has more tourists, picture opportunities and photo spreads.
The day arrives and the leaves burst forth in blazing multicolored glory. A true feast for the senses. The leaves sing to all who care to listen and after a while they one by one start to fall silent. The next time you look at an autumn tree, really stop to look at the leaves. The last ones remaining on the limbs have the most to say. They have the greatest stamina and are carrying out the last notes of fall before the frost comes to trace its patterns on the world and make ready for winter.
The leaves fall or are picked off. But they do not die. A leaf never dies, it merely changes it's tune. Some may fall to the ground and decompose taking up the song of the earth. Others may fall into waters and liquefy, forever to become part of the song of the seas and rivers. Still others may end up pressed between pages or kept as display. Those fortunate few get to keep observing and continuing the song they started with. You see, there is more to leaves than you originally thought. All you have to do is listen.
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