I'll land on my feet, I just haven't picked out the right boots to do so yet. ~Cathy Bodkin Derr 

 

Fall is here! As September comes to an end, most of the trees still have their foliage. There’s a cherry tree two houses down that suddenly grabbed my attention yesterday because of its bare limbs. I’m not sure when it happened, but all of its leaves are gone. 

 

This tree hangs over the sidewalk. When I pass under it, I love being surrounded by its branches, no matter what season it is. If I'm really present, I study it up close.

 

I have written about this cherry tree before, when noticing how early the spring buds become visible. The first time I noticed them was in January, in the dead of winter, and that gave me hope for spring. Last November, I was amazed and further inspired to see its buds already present two months earlier.

 

As I passed underneath the bare branches yesterday, I couldn’t believe it, but I noticed the buds were already visible, months in advance. The process must start even earlier, if they’re visible now. 

 

Wow. Blooms for next spring that actually begin possibly as early as August? Before the current leaf cycle is complete and the tree is barren, new life is already underway. How encouraging. I know the same thing is true for every situation we encounter in our own life cycles.

 

I have been in situations where it seemed like there was no sign of life, where resurrection looked impossible. We’ve all had challenges like that. If you’re facing one of those right now, rest assured, new growth is already happening. It will either restore what seems to be hopeless, reviving all the dead limbs, or it will replace what has been lost. Often that happens in an unexpected, but delightful way. Of course, that depends on the perspectives we choose, too.

 

I realize not everything can be "replaced." I know firsthand that there is no substitute for the loss of a loved one, but I also know the next season of life eventually comes along with new purpose and new joy that previously seemed impossible. It may not be exactly what we wanted, but it will come if we’re looking. 

 

We must be planted in today to harvest our presents.

 

Looking backward, staring at a grave, or any other closed chapter, will do nothing but continue to amplify a loss that cannot be revived. We need to grieve for a season, of course, but then we must get back to living.

 

Conversely, if we spend all of our time looking forward and living for a day in the future when we meet our goals and all of our dreams come true, we are no better off than when focusing on the past. We're still not present.

 

Don't get me wrong. I love making goals—defining what I want and imagining what that’s going to look and feel like. I think that’s important to do, but I also think it’s very important to appreciate and enjoy what we have right now.

 

Do you realize that someone right now is wishing for something each of has and are possibly taking for granted? I can also promise you that no matter what you're struggling with, someone else would trade places with you because their lot in life is far worse. Gratitude can fix a lot of what's wrong today. And it feels better than the alternative.

 

Today, let the glimmer of hope inside you get even brighter knowing that your new season, and the behind-the-scenes preparation for that chapter has already begun, long in advance. It will bloom forth in perfect timing. Meanwhile, you will have everything that you need to sustain you until then, including joy, if you're open to it. 

 

Remember, open eyes find more gifts.