Beautiful, old maple trees tower over a suburban neighborhood's cracked pavement and aging houses. The houses are modest, but well cared for, and the lawns and landscaping are well-manicured. 

 

Every morning, an old man sits on his porch to enjoy his routine: hot coffee and cheap entertainment. One of the many large maple trees towers over his front yard, the branches filled with five-lobed leaves that are beginning to change color. The man observes the world around him as a late summer breeze blows down the street.  The breeze brushes against the leaves in the tree, the flag a few doors down flutters, and the grass sways in the wind.  The man turns his focus to a single leaf in his front yard. It’s trying to hold on, not ready to move on the the next chapter of its life as the wind attempts to break its grip.

​

A gust of wind wiggles the leaf loose and begins its journey towards the ground.  The man watches as the leaf twists and twirls with each passing second, swaying gracefully back and forth.  Now and then, the wind knocks the leaf off its original course, delaying the fall and its arrival to its destination.  The leaf makes one final loop before landing gently on the green grass beneath the tree. The leaf signals to the man, and every living thing, that a new season is coming.  Not worse than the previous one, just different.

​

The air is still warm but the humidity has decreased. The days get shorter while the nights grow longer.  Sweatshirts and blankets are now required in the evenings when gathered around the bonfire.  The grass is still green and the shrubs are still growing.  Kids are back in school after enjoying their summers, excited to reunite with their friends and eager to learn new things.  Football is back on TV after a long offseason, with fans excited for a clean slate with endless possibilities.  Everyone enjoys and cherishes the summer season, but the fall season brings new and exciting possibilities.

​

The action on the street is starting to pick up. The kids across the street wait in line to get on the bus, showing off their new, brightly-colored shoes and backpacks.  Parents watch, partially saddened to see their kids grow up so fast, but happy to see them continue to grow and develop as they move on to the next big stage of their lives.  

​

Down the street, the newlywed couple says their goodbyes. With warm smiles and meaningful hugs, they hop into their cars and head off to work.  For them, it is the end of their single lives and the beginning of a journey to develop their own family, something they hope will last the rest of their lives.

​

Across the street, the sound of an engine starting interrupts the calm morning sounds.  A few moments later, the old man's newly retired neighbor begins mowing his lawn for one of the last times of the year.  He has recently said goodbye to his coworkers and the job he had enjoyed for years, but he is ready to embrace his free time, enjoy his hobbies, and spend time with his grandchildren. 

​

The old man continues to sip his coffee and thinks back to his life's chapters.  He has experienced it all, moving from one chapter to another, trying to savor every last bit of the joys and challenges each stage of his life brings.  He realizes that the next chapter will be just as great as the previous, with new opportunities always waiting.

​