Fall trees

A beautiful fall afternoon.
We sit in the car
talking about big profound things
in the space between going there
and getting there.

She points out a tree
the center still green
radiating yellow and red
of its own making.
That tree got to choose
what color it's leaves get to be

leaves of spectacular
gradient color
green to red is tough to get to
especially by way of yellow
mother nature with her expert color 
manipulation

But it is the sun
that points out those leaves
that made the difference 
between a tree that was beautiful
and a tree that looked to be on fire 
a tree that had the power 
to show up in the distance
and to incite a long peaceful present moment
shared.

The metaphor of a tree
has so many meanings
but for me this lesson was about 
letting in the light
and when I do
I can reflect and radiate it out.
When I stay in the shadows 
it is much harder to notice the beautiful things 
and all that power is lost.

In that moment I got to witness
a tree in all it's glory of letting go
with a beautiful friend.
Words don't explain it well.
Another lesson, to live it is better than to story about it.

The tree was still green in the center
it's conversion not yet complete
but it radiated yellow and red too
it was a fleeting moment
that when the light came it was on fire
and when the light left, it was still quietly beautiful.

Maybe there is a lesson in that for me,
like life, maybe I can shine the light
but it doesn't have to be all the time
to still be beautiful

to shine the light means I am seen
and to be seen is my work
to stop playing small
and to get out of the shadows