Austere trees.

The leaves came down. One day it was all colors. Then the expected storm came with wind and rain. The next day it was stark. The carnage of autumn color lay on the ground in soggy piles. I was shocked by how much more sky I could suddenly see. It was brighter. I had not noticed that previously.

In past years I have bemoaned the loss of leaves and the dark, austere branches of trees against the sky. But this year feels different. It looks different to me.

This year it feels clean. Like so many other things this year the leaves have been stripped away and I am left with the large, solid branches and trunk. I am left with the foundation. Left with the basics. And with more light. Nature has decluttered.

If I were my own best friend I would tell myself to be open to seeing things differently. This has been a year of challenges and with challenges there often comes change. Be open to seeing the changes with new eyes. Be open to embracing what I have not liked or have resisted in the past because today I am a different person. I would tell myself to appreciate the trees.