Walking the Path Under the Trees

"Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar."
- Delia Owens

---

The fresh fall breeze makes every effort to touch your nose, causing a pique of interest. Every second progressively brings nice rushes of wind through the aspen valley. It seems as if the seasons are rapidly changing -quicker than the mind can wrap around. Walking down the path seems to bring more of an air of fall. Tis the season for the seasons to change....

Ever since I was young, I only liked summer time because of the hot breeze that would cover the earth. However, within the past few years I have been able to connect more with the fall season. Sometimes fall can be really sad because it brings forth the gloomy winter weather here in the state of Utah. This connection changed because I finally realized the science behind the leaves falling. There are two types of trees: Coniferous and Deciduous trees. The deciduous trees are the specific trees that change and drop their leaves in the fall. These can include aspen, maple, apple, dogwood, and so forth. Coniferous trees are often associated with pine trees. 

With that being said, I have come to know and understand that fall is the best season out of the four. Everything from the fall breeze, the leaves changing, and the cooler temperatures. Delia Owens once said, "Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar." As a pilot it is so amazing to see the fall colors from 4,000 feet above ground level (AGL). I enjoy all of the different shades of green, orange, yellow, and red. I have truly been able to see the beauty of the world from flights above. I love how she mentions that the leaves do not fall, they fly. The leaves take every chance they get to fly in the sky. I really love that quote because I can connect with that. The sheer amazing experience of flying explains the reason why I am so addicted to flying. However, it is not just me that is addicted... several other people will say the same things. 

Nature is so imperfect, which is amazing in every way possible. I feel as if I share a connection with that -because I do. The trees, the birds, and even us are imperfect. I really have come to understand that. Each leaf on a tree is very different, no two are the same. I really can advocate for the importance of imperfection. I really have discovered that deep connection between imperfection and surrendering. When trees drop their leaves, they are not giving up or surrendering, they are still thriving. Though summertime means beautiful trees and gorgeous flowers, the fall and winter months are just as beautiful. The trees are here to show us the importance of imperfection and how it is okay to be imperfect. Accepting that in actual life will help you move past what I love to call the 'imperfection barrier.' There is no such thing as equating to perfection. If everything in this world was perfect, it would be so boring.

The fall leaves and beautiful leaf dropping trees have taught me that it is an epiphany moment when you discover that you need to let things go. My all to famous -and secret- saying is 'you need to let things go.' This was taught to me by a friend of mine. This epiphany moment in my life has helped change me for the good of things. I used to think that life was miserable before I received this moment of knowledge. When I learned from both my friend and the autumn leaves, I was able to find solace. Focus on what you have done, what you have accomplished, and the good things about yourself. Do not ever just let yourself go or hate yourself because of one mistake. Mistakes are a part of life. Without mistakes, this world would be very boring. Like I mentioned above -perfection is imperfection- I love to think of mistakes as glasses. Anyone that wears glasses will understand how they work and what it is like to take them off. When someone takes their glasses off, they will experience a whirlwind of blur. Their eyes are unable to see clearly, which makes vision comparable to opening your eyes under the water. On another note, when the glasses are placed on the face, the picture becomes a lot more clear and crisp. Think of coming out of the water after swimming with your eyes opened. This is what I am really talking about. 

Mistakes are inevitable in life -they are going to happen. There is no way on this planet that you will get away from it, so you simply just have to let it go. The color of the leaves change, they fall, and they shrivel up to show us that life is too short to worry about imperfections. The tree will be bland and bare for the next four months -the winter season- until the buds form new leaves in the spring. The tree is letting the past go and flourishing with new growth in the spring. See, there are plenty of new opportunities that will help you grow into a better person and change. These mistakes prove vital to our success as human beings.  Without them, we would be the same forever and always. However, when we learn from these mistakes we can finally learn and grow. Life is all about change. The change that comes from these mistakes is how we grow our trees into a big and beautiful one. 

Fall has really reemphasized the point that beauty is never everything. Looking pretty is not as near as important as being yourself. Being true to yourself is really the beauty of it all. Trees display their beautiful fall colors before displaying a long time of considerably 'ugly' foliage. These leafless trees prove that beauty is never everything. The true beauty stems deep within the tree. There is a famous quote that goes something like this, " beauty is not about what is on the outside, it is about what is on the inside." I have always loved this quote because I personally do not always feel 'adequately pretty.' I really think some of the standards of this world can be quite petty when it comes to things like that. Thanks to the fall season, I have indeed been able to learn that beauty is on the inside, so just let it go. 

I really enjoy the cooler breeze and cooler weather because of the relief it brings form the 90 degree temperatures. Fall never just has meaning referring to the harvest season, it stems deeper than that. The meaning of all is that imperfection is everything and perfection is nothing. I really find this epiphany quite revealing. This newfound knowledge has really rudimental idea is really deep in my heart because of everything that has happened in my life. Life is not always easy and mistakes are going to happen -they are bound to happen. I truly do believe that anything is possible, but I do not believe that one single thing is perfect. The most important thing in life is to let things go. If you cannot merely accept that mistakes happen, then just let it go. As long as you learn from it and not give up, then it is fine. There is a strong difference between making a mistake and failing, and making a mistake and giving up. The moment it is given up, that is the moment of true failure. Be like a tree and be imperfect, but bounce back even more beautiful on the inside. 

"I truly do believe that anything is possible, but I do not believe that one single thing is perfect. The most important thing in life is to let things go. If you cannot merely accept that mistakes happen, then just let it go. As long as you learn from it and not give up, then it is fine. There is a strong difference between making a mistake and failing, and making a mistake and giving up. The moment it is given up, that is the moment of true failure. Be like a tree and be imperfect, but bounce back even more beautiful on the inside."
​-Jetta