“If Trees Could Talk” by Reva Lachica Moore
(I took these pictures many years ago in Bluewell, WV.)
For me, one of the most breathtaking wonders to see is the perfection behind the colorful autumn leaves made vivid by sun rays as the leaves dance to the rhythm of the breeze. I like to see the explosion of fiery hues of yellow, orange, purple, deep red of fall’s foliage.
This year we drove to West Virginia to see God’s awesome handiwork. As I watched in awe, the trees suddenly became alive – like people – in my mind. If trees could think and talk like people, this is what I could have seen and heard during the Grand Parade of Fall Foliage. It was a colorful Autumn Wonderland!
Many trees in the forest, trees along the highways, trees in people’s yards, and other places look forward to a special time each year to show off their elegance and beauty. On this special time, the Master Magician twirls his wand and the green colors of the trees would change to autumn colors. In this Autumn Show, many of the trees are quite stunning; people would come from far and near to admire their beauty.
In a certain place, autumn had come and old trees and even saplings started to change their green coats into one of many colors that range from red to yellow. Then the trees started talking.
“I am the prettiest around these parts. Look at me! I have the most elegant yellow-orange gown! I’m simply exquisite!” boasted the Canyon Maple.
“Hey, look this way,” said the Sweet Birch. “I am the one between the two pine trees. Look at my delicate yellow gown with intricate design. I look dazzling in the breeze!”
“Look people, look this way. Have you ever seen the deepest red gown of leaves ever? I’m exceptionally beautiful. My beauty is unmatched as you can see,” a Red Oak declared.
“Oh you be quiet there, Missy Red!” a Mockernut Hickory interrupted. “My bright yellow gown shines like the sun. I can be seen from miles away. I am more gorgeous than you!”
From the top of a hill an old, solitary Frontier Elm with red-purple garb but missing a few branches hollered, “Hush young ones! I’ve been the Queen of the Hill and people had admired me for many decades. Look at me. My beauty surpasses all others!” Chuckles from the other trees resonated all over. Even the Weeping Willow wept with delight.
A Bigleaf Maple dressed in bright orange gown loudly spoke, “You poor Pine Trees. You can never be admired since you cannot change your color! Don’t you wish you are like me?”
An elderly Pine stood up straight and tall and proudly replied. “Indeed, my color does not change but my attire stays fresh and lush all year round and my children are the most ‘sought after’ tree during the most important holiday of the year!”
All over this place of aspiring beauties, there are many “commoners” – trees that normally retain their original green garb without any change in their colors. If every tree would change from drab to glitz then no tree will stand out. Because of these trees that stay green, the fall-colored trees do stand out for people to notice.
From a distance stood a young Sugar Maple with a mixture of yellow, orange, red and green-colored gown hiding behind a dense cropping of pine trees. She heard the other trees bragged about themselves. She did not like it. She just wanted people to admire her beauty but not get the praise, for she did not become pretty on her own. The Master Magician made her exceedingly beautiful and only He gets the praise.
Two weeks later after the Grand Fall Gala of the Trees, the leaves of those with beautiful colors started to fall as the wind blew and the rain showers pelted them. Before long, their branches were bare and they started to look ugly; their once-spectacular leaves had littered the ground. The once-gorgeous trees are now skeleton trees. Their beauty was but a fleeting moment. They will be bare all winter and have to wait for spring when the Master Magician will once again clothed them. The “commoners” chuckled in delight, for although they were not noticed by the people, they still have their green garbs all throughout winter.
Thank God for making trees unable to think and talk like people, for if He did, they too would eventually take on the nature of man, thus creating a more chaotic place than that, which we already live in.
Genesis 1:11, 12…”Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”