Burning leaves, the Boss...and my unwillingness {Day 22}

I have been working outside in the yard this week. Landscaping and fresh air are both favorites of mine…and there is a certain satisfaction in cleaning the gardens, thinning flowers, preparing the beds for a time of rest.

Today I smell burning leaves. You have a memory that pops in your head when you smell burning leaves, don’t you?

Yeah, so do I.

I am reminded that the very leaves I love to smell burning are the same ones I couldn’t wait to see a few months ago…the same ones that provided shade…the same ones that were splendid two weeks ago.

Life has cycles.

And I am reminded that I need to start a fire. I WANT to start a fire.

Nature holds to her cycles. She doesn’t stay too long in summer or winter, preferring one season over another.

I play along with Nature’s revolving ways. In April, I start preparing flower beds and the lawn, gathering whatever debris is left behind by the Old Man (with whom I am not friends). Then, there are several glorious months of warmth and flowers and vegetables and grass.

The arrival of autumn is not met with a cheer at my house, as it signals cold and, more importantly, the end of golf season. We have no choice, however, but to comply. Seasons change whether we like it or not.

Fire is one of my favorite parts of autumn. An evening fire with friends. The smell of leaf fires.

And I am reminded that I want to start a fire. I NEED to start a fire.

We go through cycles in life, don’t we?

But, sometimes, we are not as compliant as nature.

We don’t move through the rounds.

We want to stay right where we are.

We want the buds to become leaves…we will accept the shade…but we don’t want the leaves to fall and won’t accept the time of rest or dormancy.

Or we complain about having to mow. But we won’t move north where summer is shorter.

We won’t start a fire.

Or we hate to shovel snow. But we won’t move south where there is no snow.

We won’t start a fire.

Uncontrolled, fire is scary and destructive.

But when it is controlled? Fire can purify, can rid of us of things we don’t need – lawn debris, fallen leaves.

How about unhealthy habits? Outdated thinking? Narrow mindedness? Stale ideas?

Lack of motivation? Fear?

In the words of a great philosopher:

You can’t start a fire worrying about your little world falling about…

I need to learn nature's rhythm of moving gently through seasons.

And I need to start a fire. 

How about you? Yeah, I thought so.

Bring your own marshmallows. 

We will talk again tomorrow…

BP

 I’m participating with The Nester in 31 Days of Examining My Heart.

This is Day 19.

You can find all 31 Dayers here. There are so many wonderful topics.

If you miss any days in the series, you can find the introduction and each day's post here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!