Fact: the colors of Fall are breathtaking. Also fact: many of us have no clue as to why that is.
We’ll get to that, but for now, ponder this thought: have you ever felt ill-equipped for something being asked of you? Have you ever experienced angst, confusion, frustration, or feelings of being alone due to the current space you’re in? I have a hunch that you’re in agreement, and I can confirm that I, too, have been there. I’ve found myself anxious and confused by various seasons of life that I’d been placed in, frustrated at my “lack of ability” to perform in such seasons, and then hitting the all-time low of “woe is me, I am alone in this world and forgotten by God himself!”
Wouldn’t it be nice to exist in a world where we knew what would be required of us prior to entering a given space? While in difficult seasons, it’s tempting to think that God brought you to that space just to then say, “alright champ, it’s all you, you got this.” It’s easy to grasp the lie that God is expecting more of you than you are actually capable of, especially when proof of “you have what you need” feels like nothing more than a warm, fuzzy cliché than your reality. This Fall, the Holy Spirit has offered me a fresh perspective that I’d love to share with you, friend.
As I reflect on the most challenging seasons of my life, I notice a pattern. First, I enter a season that, most times, I hadn’t seen coming. Next, I become acclimated with my surroundings to then realize that (initially) I have no idea what I’m doing. I then panic, complain, question Jesus, and cry, all to finally accept the reality that there really is no way out. Accepting my fate, over time I begin to notice something… I am…actually doing this. That thing that I thought I couldn’t do, or better yet, had no clue I even needed to know how to do, was in fact, getting done! Sure, the process may resemble trying to salvage dried-up bits of play-doh, but nonetheless, each time, I shock myself by my own capabilities and resilience.
Now, circling back to the fact that many of us have very little explanation for the beauty of Fall, allow me to fill in the gaps. Hopefully, as a college student, you’re familiar with chlorophyll, that green pigment produced by plants during photosynthesis. Turns out, plants also produce pigments called carotenoids, which produce orange leaves, and anthocyanins, creating red and purple leaves. Chlorophyll and carotenoids are present throughout the seasons, but anthocyanins are typically only produced during late summer and early autumn. With shorter days and longer nights, plants require less light for photosynthesis, hence decreasing chlorophyll production and leading to the fade of the green pigment we’re used to.
In essence, this natural process “unmasks the colors of the carotenoids and anthocyanins that were lurking beneath” (Leary, 2020). In other words, it’s not that during the Fall season the well-loved oranges, yellows, purples, and reds are somehow created, they are simply unable to reveal themselves out of season. Did you get that? Perhaps read that statement again for good measure. The beauty of Fall, as brought about by its leaves, is actually present year round, but due to the cycles of nature, it must remain hidden until the appropriate season.
Just as these vibrant colors are only able to come to life during their rightful season and are otherwise masked, you, dear reader, require certain seasons that reveal things in you that you never knew existed. That passion for helping kids with autism, that niche for event planning, that gift for making others feel seen, could not have been revealed had you not been placed in seasons of discomfort, pain, or temporary confusion. When I receive perspective shifts like these, I am reminded that God created the beauty of nature, and as humans, we, too, are a part of God’s natural creation. It’s no coincidence that paradigms between nature and humanity serve as such helpful object lessons.
Dear reader, whether you are on the tail end of a challenging season, currently in the thick of it, or will inevitably encounter one ahead, I implore you to consider the hidden skills and abilities inside of you that will be brought to light because of it. You truly are as capable as God says you are (Phil 4:19). Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery to finally see it.
Reference
Leary, C. (2020). Why Do Leaves Change Color in Autumn? Treehugger.
https://www.treehugger.com/why-do-leaves-change-color-autumn-4869632
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.