Golden trees whispered secrets in the soft autumn wind. I am Lila, a leaf on one of those trees, cradled by its strong branches. As a child, I would sway and dance, singing with the breeze. But as the days grew shorter and the morn crispier, I felt a foreboding shift. Something was changing, and deep down, I realized—my time to fall was near.
“Don’t worry, dear Lila,” cooed my friend Lisa, the ladybug. “It’s a part of nature’s way. You’ll see the world beneath in a whole new light!”
“But what if I fall too soon?” I responded, my voice a tremble. “What if the wind is too wild and tosses me away?”
“Embrace the journey,” she replied sweetly, a knowing glint in her tiny eyes. Yet her words did little to calm my fears.
As days passed, my green hues shifted to hints of gold, like a gentle flame’s glow, but my heart was heavy. On one particularly blustery day, the tree began to shudder. Birds squawked, preparing to take flight as clouds darkened, brewing a storm.
Suddenly, with a thoughtful creak, the branch released its grip, and I was soaring through the air, tumbling and swirling. My first emotion was pure panic, but the breeze swung my body playfully. I gazed down to see the world rushing to meet me: the little pond reflecting the gloomy sky, and the others—my fellow leaves and sweet flowers—all invited to join the dance below.
“See? Not so scary after all!” laughed a nearby leaf, swaying in rhythm with the wind.
But the ground rushed closer, and just as I thought I might crash, I landed softly on a carpet of grass, combined with soft earth and scarlet petals.
At first, I felt lost. Surrounded by others who lay still and silent, for a moment, I wished to be back on my branch, swaying with my friends. But slowly, as raindrops sprinkled down and a warm sun appeared between gray clouds, life around me began to stir. My fellow fallen friends transformed into a rich mulch, nourishing the earth. Squirrels danced and chatted, birds pecked, searching for hidden treasures; there was laughter, love, and life all around.
And amidst it all, I realized—this was my journey. Beneath a cloak of gray clouds, I found colors I never knew existed, sounds too lovely to describe, and a depth of beauty that transcended everything I ever knew upon the branch.
So here I lay, Lila the Leaf, resting gently upon the ground. Each day, as the sun sets and the moon rises, I witness a new tale unfold in this enchanting world. No longer scared of falling, I now understand—sometimes, the most beautiful journeys begin with a little change.