Nature Journal #9: Fall Foliage

 Nature Journal #9: What Fall feels like to me

Fall is my favorite season; not only is my birthday in the fall season, but I love the crisp air, the cozy clothing, and the colorful trees. While in St. Louis, I took myself on a nature walk to enjoy the foliage not present in Fort Worth. This walk proved to be a restorative experience; it was both extremely tranquil and connected me with the natural world. As the crisp autumn air met my exposed cheeks, I found comfort in the rhythmic crunch of fallen leaves beneath my every step. The vibrant shades of red, gold, and amber painted across the landscape invoked a sense of awe, capturing the essence of the season's transformative beauty.

To me, fall does not feel like a death of life. But rather, I see the leaves shed from their trees as in preparation for the future. Moreover, I experience the colorful display as the leaves finale. They show off and display their beauty in the most profound was possible to capture the attention of the watching world. It has always been crazy to me that the leaves know their own process of life; across the world leaves bud and grow, mature, turn, and eventually fall from the trees. Without our human intervention, the world and natural processes such as leaves turning color continue on in absolute perfection. The world and its' life works in precise harmony; if it didn't, the whole world would fail to function as we know it. Each individual process in nature is part of something larger. It often lends itself to another environmental process. 

St. Louis offers a picturesque canvas that mirrored the spectrum of emotions within me. The rustling leaves overhead provided a soothing soundtrack, creating a harmonious symphony of nature's whispers. The cool breeze carried the fragrance of earth and fallen leaves, awakening a sense of nostalgia and grounding me in the present moment.

In the quietude of the fall landscape, I discovered a profound connection to the ever-changing rhythm of existence. The vibrant and symbolic foliage served as a poignant reminder that, just like the leaves gracefully yielding to the earth, embracing change and finding beauty in the process can be a source of renewal and restoration for the soul. This nature walk became not only a respite from the demands of daily life but also a profound encounter with the therapeutic power of nature's transformative abilities.






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