I read something once that described young people as “cut flowers.” It was a metaphor reminding the reader that young people eventually grow older, wilt, and die just like everything else. They may look fresh and beautiful for the moment – but just wait! However, I prefer to think of getting older as the process that simply reveals who we really are. The superficial falls away and ultimately, we’re left with only the things that matter.
Did you know that during the fall the beautiful colors you see in the leaves were actually there all along? The green you see in the spring and summer is simply the presence of chlorophyll turning sunlight into energy. When the days grow shorter the plant stops producing chlorophyll and the green fades away revealing the true colors beneath.
The lesson of the autumn leaves is to pay attention to the things that are invisible to the world. Character does count. Loving, healthy relationships are vital. Growing in faith and maturity is what life is for.
Paul once wrote, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
(2 Cor. 4:16) That is the surest sign of a beautiful life!