Life Cycles

It occurs to me that trees go into the end of their life cycles in a much different manner than humans.

While I'll grant that post-summer hibernation for trees is quite different than death for a person, I could not help but make a comparison.

Approaching hibernation, trees put on a dazzling display of color - seemingly a celebration of a successful cycle. The mixed palettes of color are a tree equivalent of fireworks.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the shuffling, arrested gait of an elderly person is anything but a tap dance that would suggest happiness. Too often the end of the human cycle is accompanied by moaning and wailing.

Perhaps we should do something about. Perhaps as an elder moves into last years we should make a practice of gathering 'round to celebrate what they have achieved and to thank them for the impact they have had on our lives.