a new moon

The Japanese have a certain peculiar belief about their country.  They believe it has, uniquely, four seasons.  Japan does experience four seasons, it's true.  But many Japanese believe that theirs is the only country to carry this distinction.  The Japanese are susceptible to many strange notions about what sets their land apart, but this is one of the oddest.

I am happy to report that, as of this morning, I can confirm the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States stands as competitor to the climatic uniqueness of the Chrysanthemum Empire.  I was driving, and I looked at the road, and it was ablaze.  The fallen leaves had scorched the roadsides, and I drove surrounded by fiery reminders of the transience of all things.

Leaves, though, man.  Leaves are designed to fall off.  They're a terrible symbol of transience!  They come back next year and they are basically completely the same.  When spring rolls around again, you're not going to look at the beautiful flowers and foliage and think, "those are nice, but I sure miss the ones from last year!"  They're COMPLETELY REPLACEABLE.

Look, I get it.  It's all very poetic and everything, but the plants aren't dying.  Just these...vestigial parts of them are shriveling up and falling off, because they aren't useful.  What's useful, though, endures!  Sometimes you just have to throw away that useless stuff and trust that what you really need will grow back.  Have a little faith in yourself, and you just might find the beauty that those 'useless' things you've been carrying around can become, if you have the courage to let them go.