Leaf Removal

The last remnants of Fall clung to the trees while the other leaves blanketed the ground. Yellows and reds had yielded to shades of crispy brown, and despite the wonderful sound of my shoes shuffling through the dry leaves, it was clear a new season was on its way.

Walking on a favorite trail, I found it hard to see the path. Although a familiar route, the leaves shrouded the trail, making me have to guess which way to go. Fortunately, there were trail markings sporadically placed on the trees, but the leaves still made the journey difficult.

It reminded me of the spiritual walk I’m on, the way I’m trying to follow, and all the “leaves” that cover my path. Like the ones covering my shoes, there are leaves on my spiritual path which hide which way I should go. Once bright with promise, they now lie crumpled and colorless on the ground. Exciting creative ventures, vibrant friendships, and glistening dreams of one sort or another . . . leaves come in all shapes and sizes. Now they lie scattered before me, hiding the way forward. I’m left guessing which way to go.

Unlike my walk, the solution is to remove the leaves, push them aside and unearth the trail that lies beneath. It takes work to remove leaves, and mental and spiritual discipline to find the path again. It’s where it’s always been, but the leaves need to be cleared so we can commit to the way forward.

Soon, it will be Advent, the season before Christmas when we are invited to refocus on the way and commit, once again, our lives to a particular direction. If you’re like me, there are leaves of all kinds hiding the path. We just need to push them aside and get walking again.