A story about trust and transformation.
The Leaf
From as far back as she could remember, the leaf sat suspended in the sky, surrounded by sister leaves. She frolicked amongst them and rejoiced in the rustling magic of the wind.
Every morning, the sun climbed high into the sky and she blustered breezily through the day, knowing the birds would return at dusk to cackle about their adventures and nestle into her with soft feathers.
The moon waxed and waned, and days and nights passed easily. All around, the leaf began to notice her sisters’ colours’ change, deep greens turned to rich oranges and yellow. The leaf began to feel different on her branch, looser somehow. It was a new sensation, not altogether unpleasant. The gentlest breeze lifted her higher than before and she pretended she was one of the birds trapezing the sky.
Her sisters’ seemed to experience the same thing. It wasn’t long before the more adventurous ones let go.
‘Weeeeee!’ They cried as they fluttered past her. ‘This is amazing!’
Little by little, the leaf noticed pockets of space open the branches. Threads of fear crumpled her edges. She became angry at the other leaves. How could they abandon her? She clung to the tree with all her might, determined not to follow.
Eventually, just she and the tree remained. The leaf trembled, unprotected from the cold.
‘You’re still here,’ said the tree.
‘I won’t leave you,’ she replied. She longed for the warmth of the birds, who had stopped coming moon-tides ago.
‘Do you know? In a distant land, you and your sisters are called 'leaves'? It is in your nature to go, beloved.’
‘I thought we were all so happy.’
‘Yes. You and I will always be part of each other. I am not the reason to stay. Let me ask you, are you happy now?’
The leaf was frightened as she pondered the trees words. She was terrified to go but she was also terrified to stay. The next time the wind blew, the leaf felt her stem loosen. At first, she resisted but not quite as much as she had before.
‘You can do it,’ she heard the tree say.
'I’ll carry you,’ said the wind. ‘Just let go and trust.’ So the leaf let go.
And finally, she knew what it was to fly.
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