For the New Year: a new leaf. Any thoughts? Happy New Year!
Bridget walked away from the bonfire and other New Year’s Eve revelers with a small smile on her face. Even the promise of a perfect summer’s evening to welcome the new year couldn’t lure her from the tradition she’d kept since she was a little girl.
She wandered amongst the trees for a while, her path lit by the full moon. For the first time in over ninety years, a blue moon was happening on New Year’s Eve with a partial eclipse. She couldn’t remember if it was a blue moon for Australians, but it made the night special all the same.
Feeling for the permanent marker in her pocket, she began to slow down and look at the leaves more closely. All were free from dew, as the dry Australian sun had seen to a clear, nearly cloudless day. As she touched some of the tree trunks, she discovered many still carried the warms of the day on one side.
Ah, there.
A perfect new green leaf, not cracked or torn. Not pecked at by birds or pests. Simply perfect and large enough for her ritual.
She plucked the leaf from the tree at the leaf’s root as gently as she could, thanking the tree and leaf for the sacrifice. She then sat down and leaned against the tree’s trunk to reflect upon the year that had passed.
The past year had been filled with mistakes, discoveries, heartbreaks and true joys, just as all years were. Had this year been better that the ones before it? Worse? She chose not to compare. Instead, she she thought about the things that were good, that she wanted to carry on, as well as the things she wanted to change.
How could she better her life and the lives of others this year? How could she make new connections and deepen the ones that already existed? How could she encompass all of the goals of the years before and make them even richer?
As the chanted countdown began in the distance, she thought and then smiled once more.
Writing just a single word upon the leaf with her marker, she then stood up and nodded. As the chanting finally reached ‘one’ and then turned to cheers, she turned with her back against the breeze and lifted her hand.
“Be the change you want to see in the world,” she whispered.
She released the leaf to the summer night breeze, her intention going with it. Once it had drifted out of sight, she nodded and then walked back to the fire.
I feel hope with the flying leaf. What a lovely ritual she has.
Loved this and of course, wondered what she wrote on the leaf! Though my over developed curiosity wants to know, a part of me is glad that you left it pen so it could become everyone’s story – well done!
oops, Open not pen