It was a beautiful sunny morning when I paused to enjoy the reflection of trees on a smooth as glass pond. On the other side of the water, something caused me to stare in disbelief.
My eyes must be deceiving me, I thought. A closer look was needed. Unfortunately, my initial impression was confirmed. Although we were still in the first half of August, the leaves on a small tree had turned from green to a reddish orange.
I knew that summer would come to an end but wasn’t ready for it to happen yet. Shouldn’t we have another month before fall arrived?
Over the next week, the temperature dropped and so did the leaves from that particular tree. Its branches were now bare. Other trees seemed to have a few more yellow leaves each time I passed by.
I’m reminded of the game of Hide and Seek. When the chaser is finished counting and about to start seeking, he opens his eyes and says, “Ready or not, here I come!” This is true for more than the seasons or a childhood game.
While talking to a friend about something completely unrelated to weather, he said, “We knew it would come to an end one day. We just thought we could choose when and how it would happen.” Life is often like that!
I’ve lived long enough to know the world does not revolve around my timetable. I don’t have to like it but I do need to accept and make the best of it. Because, ready or not, change is often just around the corner.