A Tree - Trees. We reference them when we talk about “staying strong in a storm by remaining flexible” and when we say things like, “we are deeply connected and interwoven” in such a way that when one sustains a blow, the others pitch in to help heal.  Underground collective working together for …..(the That of it all). 

and

A Leaf… Leaves

We don't seem to talk much about the leaves unless we are judging them- their color, their timing, how they compared to years prior, and our ability to get to see the “good ones”. 

What about the process of them going from the connection at the tree level to the connection at the ground level?  Did it choose to  do “the leave”, was it “forced” to leave, was it a mutual decision/agreement? What about the “how” of the process? Then there is the actual movement. Who or what was the agent or force? From where did it come? Was it inner agency or an outer force?

Then, we still do not know the “why” of the… what? …disconnect?

We only know what we know… once we saw the leaf as “attached(?)/connected(?)”, then the next minute we see it is “falling(?)” to the ground. But is it? What if it is LEAPING toward the ground? What if it finally sees the ground and realizes it has been longing for this particular time on that particular area of ground for its whole Leaf Life — and it sees the opportunity to unite with its love, holding, and acceptance… so it leaps….

But what about the other leaves? What if they might see is it negatively - like a “fall,” the “leaving,” the “disconnect”... without knowing the “story of the positive longing for the leaf.” Does learning of the longing alter the perception of the judgment placed on a process that belonged to the leaf to begin with? If yes, how so? If not, how so?

The similar ask might be recognized and acknowledged from the point of view of the ground… that one spot… from its one perspective… maybe gazing up at the night umbrella of forever-changing leaves and being captivated by the ONE leaf that would show a different side of itself in the moments before a storm. The ground watching through each storm to simply witness again the “top side shadow” of its love. Perhaps it longed for the leaf so much that it found its own dark side in the “wishing for a storm” in order make a wish come true - the ground believe it has no agency here but to wish? Did the leaf even know of this particular ground’s existence let alone its deep desires? Maybe what the leaf knew was not important to the ground because that spot on the ground had faith in the timing of the fall/jump/connection - process. If the leaf were aware that the very ground it set its leafy eyes on, was actually longing for it as well - would it “choose sooner” or find itself forced before it knew it was ready?

Would the timing actually even matter at all if “the faith” and “the permission to move as one wishes” were united and recognized as valid in their own right as well as paired?

Maybe it’s the Michelangelo-Ground looking up to, instead of down on, the Human-leaves — each longing for the other - until the moment they unite - on the ground - but both forever changed and actively changing. Joyous in their connection, their commitment until the end of time in the forms that they know one another, solid in their choices. 

Yet, from outside, looking at the tree and the leaves and the ground, the relational lens tends to focus on the fall — the dying — the landing — the rot — the rake it up and get rid of it — the complaints, the created imaginations about the what that happened and the why they imagined it happened. Why not ask the leaf? The ground? Maybe the tree knows, as it was part of the equation. If they only make up the story “about them without them” it’s subjected to and limited by only their own imagination. What if they could see past their limitations …. Just far enough to be able to turn around and look and maybe realize they are wearing limited lenses.. ….. then maybe we could get curious and brave enough to inquire about the perspective of the “jumping leaf” or the “spot below” or the tree “left behind”? But then, just the ask alone points to what their attention was focused on - that leaf’s journey instead of perhaps their own spot on the ground?

What if the decision of the leaf was actually rooted in “leaving the tree”?  What if the reality of going “toward the ground” in delight also means “leaving behind the relationship to tree” as we knew it? What then does that open up for relational questions? What if the leaf is conscious of all of these decisions … and their implications … and the imaginations of others onto what it thought was its own….. ? That might just be a part of its timing and decision to make that leap?

Reflecting on how relationships change — in the moment — every moment — in reality and in our experience of them. I imagine that we are conscious of only a portion of that which we have experienced and stored throughout our lifetime. When there is a “storm brewing,” we, like leaf, probably behave differently and show different sides of ourselves at different times to different others. Maybe sometimes we require a catalyst in order to move toward the longing/dream/desire. Maybe sometimes that catalyst is a storm with forces greater than ourselves. Maybe it’s another human trying to act like a force of nature? Hopefully in the mix is also a gentle, soft breeze coming by at the perfect time to support movement and landing? Then maybe sometimes the catalyst is sparked from an inner agency that is holding the hand of Trust — and taking a leap (action) in Faith (the-space-between) toward that which it longs (to land in its one spot) . Leaping toward one and away from another.

And maybe - the process is a kin to a recipe that changes and can be changed - like leaves - Be Leave.