"Daddy, Why Do the Leaves Change Color?"

A tree painted in the colors of celebration.

"Daddy, why do the leaves change their color in the Fall?" Asked the Heart Farmers Daughter. Her father the Heart Farmer smiled and replied: "Well, my little Beauty, there is an ancient legend among us Heart Farmers that tells a story about the leaves. Why don't you plant your pretty little self on this log over here and I will tell you a story."

"Once upon a minute, there were some angels with paint brushes. Their task was to color the world with love. The angels began with the ceiling of the earth by stretching a rainbow across the sky. They had a blast painting the sky in iridescent colors that would change with the spinning of the earth. Viewing the sky from below, the colors would change from blue to a host of other colors depending on the rotation of the earth. The wind helped to create an ever changing heavenly kaleidoscope.

Upon completion of the sky, the angels gave the mountaintops a fresh, clean coat of glossy white. The tips of the peaks shone brilliantly against the back drop of an iridescent sky. The angels then turned their attention to the trees. Most of the trees clapped their leaves in celebration, eagerly awaiting their long anticipated coloring. Some of the trees would receive a special coat of coloring called: "Evergreen." These trees were strong and sturdy and wore a fir coat to keep them warm in the winter. The clapping trees presented a challenge for the angels; 'What colors should we use on their leafy complexion?"

The Heart Farmer paused in his story as he saw the perplexed look on his daughters face. "What is it my Beauty, is there something that you don't understand?" The little girl shrugged her shoulders and said: "My brother told me an angel carrying paint buckets tripped over a cloud and spilled all the paint on the trees and that's how they got their colors." The Heart Farmer laughed! "Oh no, my darling Beauty, an angel did trip over a cloud but the paint spilled on a clown's head and that's why clowns have colored hair!"

After some more laughing and smiles, the Heart Farmer continued with his story: "The clapping leaf trees were not strong enough to last through the harsh winter. They would need a rest from their branching out process. Leaves are not strong enough to hold the weight of white snow. The leaves would somehow have to be left behind. It was the very first Fall and the trees would soon begin the next stage of growth by shedding their clapping leaves. The angels would need to use something different than the veil of evergreen they applied to the fir covered trees.

Sometimes life is hard and people are wounded. Blood, sweat and tears are a natural part of life. Sometimes people die. The angels wanted to connect the colors of sadness with the colors of hope. They knew the trees would come back to life in the Spring. How could they blend spring and summer colors in the midst of the hue of sadness. Then one of the angels shouted: 'I think I've got it! Joy comes in the morning!' At first the other angels didn't understand. But then, they caught on to the idea; 'Let's paint joy in the midst of mourning!'

The angels were ecstatic as they began dancing and brushing with burning orange's, glossy yellow's, flashing red's and brilliant brown's. They began what they called the 'Letting Go Celebration!' The angels even gave names to their paint brushes: 'This Too Shall Pass.' 'There's Better Day's Ahead!' 'Hope.' 'Just Believe.' 'Love Will Find Away.' 'Let Go.' 'Brighter Days.' The angels painted and danced with Spring in their wings as they colored the leaves in the Fall air. Then God looked down on his angels work and exclaimed: 'That's BEAUTIFALL!'

The Beauty amidst the colors of celebration.

That my darling Beauty is the story of the first Fall and why the leaves change color!" The little girl got up from her seat on the log and hugged her Dad and said: "Daddy, I know one more name the angels could have used to name a paint brush." "And what would that be my darling daughter?" "They could have named a paintbrush 'Forgive,' because that's when we let go of something that's sad." The big Heart Farmer swept his little girl up into his arms like a hurricane sweeps clouds across the sky. She tilted her head back as she looked deep into her Dad's eyes and said: 'I love you Daddy."