Leaves

Throughout the year

As morning comes

I lay motionless in my bed

And gaze out of my window

 Spring has come

The leaves are green as a traffic light

Telling all

That as they go out

To interact with neighbor and stranger

To do little things

To smile when you say hello

To receive that smile back

To know that you have brought joy

Where before there was only the thought of the days despair

Time passes

The leaves are no longer vibrant

They are lifeless and decaying

Yellow parchment

Bearing a name and a record

Off missed opportunities

To reach out to someone in need

To just do a little thing

To hold open a door for someone that is different than you

To make another’s burdens your concern

Again time passes

Now as I look out of my window

 I see a fiery red bush

About it, the wind blows

And announces all the things

That we can share with one and another

How we can pay forward

 My name was on one of those leaves

A new year will soon begin

And all this I shall do