now that fall is pretty much coming to a close ... all of the beautiful leaves have fallen off the trees and there are only a few remainders of the season left ... I thought I would share my thoughts on the beauty of it and just what I've been thinking about in light of this truly being my "first" fall in such a vast and different place from what I'm used to.
I have to ask the question why is it that that when leaves die, they are so beautiful ... it's almost as if the landmarks of nature ... trees ... are bidding farewell before the coming winter and biting cold that comes with it. I've never seen such amazing and striking colors as I've seen as during the fall. The crispness of the air is sometimes painful to my lungs but the clarity at which we can view things around us is all together amazing. I wonder in these thoughts of what this means to us when in just one year, for myself and for my family, we have experienced so much loss and victory in the short time of a few months. I see the death I see in nature as a thing of beauty, I do not believe many people can dispute this. We love to go to places where the leaves change color and simply gaze at it; it's the beauty in this that captures our attention and holds it for the entire season. But I cannot say the same for death in human terms. Most of the time I feel as if it is anything but beautiful ... rather more painful, gripping, heart wrenching, sorrow-filled, and other terms that describe this event that happens to us all. Even trying to look for the signs in nature while looking forward ... the coming winter is filled with cold air and the trees are seemingly dead ... but then after the winter and the death comes new life. It seems that even nature itself bears witness to the life that comes after death is one of beauty and joy and comfort even.
My family this year we have seen many go into that death but I've found that in witnessing nature perform its natural course and the hope that comes after the cold, dark night of our souls ... these are the things that make fall and winter and finally spring beautiful. We have seen giants in our lives pass and we have seen new life born with George Allen Randall.
So I say these things not to depress but hopefully to encourage. And after all these are just my thoughts on what I've been thinking about over the last few months during my time here.
I hope you've had a great Thanksgiving back home. I had some very delicious duck with some friends and went hiking this weekend on a beautiful island on the southern coast of Korea. Truly I've found this land beautiful. Sometimes it reminds me of the Appalachians around Tennessee or Kentucky and other times it's totally foreign to me. The island we were on was how I pictured Ireland ... I've have to post them soon for you to see. But ones at the top are from the hiking trip I took two weeks ago near the very end of the leaves falling off the trees.
Take care where ever you are!
