A Leaf of Orange

There have been a few times in my life when the stars have aligned,

and I have witnessed creation's more magical gifts.

Not the big ones we can all name.

No, I'm referring to the small, quiet ones that come out of the blue.

For example...

One morning many years ago, I was standing miserably outside in the cold,

scraping the frost from the back window of my car.

My mood was dark, as I was facing an unhappy day.

As I cleared one patch of frost,

I noticed a very small, very bright light appear inside the car.

But this was no ordinary light, it was an image. 

It turned out to be the reflection of the morning sun

on a white sea gull as it flew high overhead.

That the two events would intersect:  me at the window,

the sun on the bird, seemed incredible.

I took it as a message of encouragement. 

~

Another time, I was sitting at my desk in a soul-less office building,

feeling a bit caged up since the windows couldn't be opened

and leaving one's desk for fresh air was frowned upon.

And suddenly there appeared on my desk a tiny little rainbow.

Where did that come from, I asked myself.

The rainbow came compliments of a small drop of water

on the window acting like a prism.

And there I was in exactly the right place,

at exactly the right time, to see the rainbow.

Very soon the water droplet evaporated and the rainbow went with it.

And I took it as a message of compassion.

~

When I was a child, I loved orange:

Orange popsicles, orange lollipops, orange ice cream.

And as an adult, I still love orange:  

Orange marigolds, orange lilies, orange pumpkins.

 And late afternoon yesterday, I looked out my window

at exactly the right moment to receive another ineffable gift.

I noticed a bright orange leaf illuminated by the setting sun:

And that I took as a message of beauty.

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