Senescence, a new word I’ve just learnt in my old age and quite appropriate as it means the final stages of life or biological degrading. Oh yes, that’s me! If only I were a leaf. Living to die.
We’ve all delighted in the changing colours of the leaves in winter, the reds, oranges yellows and browns. They look so pretty, then they die and fall to the ground. I still remember picking my youngest up from pre-school when we would spend an age picking up his favourite leaves on the way home and then glue them all together in a picture or two. Or sometimes he would just jump around watching them crunch under his feet. We had to walk through a little pathway that was always full of leaves. The caretaker would eventually have to clear them up as they became slippery when wet.
But why do the leaves change colour? It’s the change of chlorophyll caused by the lack of sunshine and daylight. The tree needs to reserve itself throughout the colder months so it cuts of the nutrients needed for the leaves and they die and fall.
I feel like a browning leaf. Okay, hopefully I’m only in the yellow or red stages and it will take a while to get down to the brown. I’m getting old I know, I don’t need reminding. Thanks grey hairs and aching bones. If I consider myself a tree then I would imagine the grey and wrinkles as my way of preserving the rest of my body. Waiting for the Spring when I would be renewed and start afresh.
If only!
Life is for living. I won’t get bogged down by old age, or illness or grey hairs or aching bones, or rogue anti-bodies, bleeding brains, thyroid nodules, stiff muscles, fits and spasms, aches and pains. I may be in a stage of senescence, but my life goes on. I’m living to die and dying to live. Just like our old friends the trees. Next time I’m out I’m going to play in the leaves.
You can read yesterday’s post here Welcome Blogtober
I have never thought of thinking of myself as a tree, but like you have the grey hairs and the aching bones, being called Nanny is amazing but does not help haha. I have learnt to think of my wrinkles as a part of my life all the ups and downs
What an interesting read.
I feel like a browning leaf some days too but you are right, life is for living! x
Interesting post. I loved the days of walking home with my little ones in the leaves too and collecting them to make pictures- lovely memories. Yes the ageing process comes to us all in nature, doesn’t it? Funny how humans are the only ones that try to hide it but we should embrace it as the leaves do. We celebrate and love all their changing colours. I love the positive ending and I’m definitely going to jump in the leaves for as long as I can! xxx