Why is a Leaf Green?

WHY IS A LEAF GREEN??

JANET DUSZAK
Word count (710)

I took a walk through the quad today and I spotted a forest green leaf. It was like a pirate grabbing my attention with his hook, so I picked it up. It told me a story… Oh, how I loved this leaf. It taught me all of the essentials, with just one conversation. “I can do many things” this leaf said to me… and let my colors tell you.

Army green, Camouflage green, Fern green, Hunter green, Kelly green, Lime green, Pear green, Sea green, Spring green, Tea green, Teal, Grass green, Electric Green, Jungle green

The leaf laughed at superstitions. The shamrock is a mockery of luck. There is no such thing.

The color of health. Eat asparagus and green vegetables and be nutritious. My colors can do that for you.

If royalty could be green, it would be Emerald. Emerald green.

It reminded me of many treasures we have taken for granted. Think about everything that is produced and created because of forests: Paper, pencils, maple syrup, wood, furniture, because of forest green. Most importantly… Oxygen. Breath. I give you life.

Welcome the green of the night. Mid night green.

Understand what no one else does. Fungus, mildew, vomit, because that’s important too… Moss green.

There is green in a martini glass. An olive.

The green of the holidays. Easter egg green. Christmas tree green. Envy?? Is there a connection here?

The feelings that green makes you feel: ambition, greed, and jealousy.

Peace?
Green affects us. It affects us physically and mentally. It soothes. It relaxes. It harmonizes.
This leaf was no ordinary leaf that I picked up. It was practically deteriorated. It had many flaws, but Every line, hole, rip, tear, meant something. Every line, hole, rip, tear told a story. A story about that leaf’s life.

This bare little leaf had nothing left but his own honesty. The Honesty of a leaf. It cannot hide anything.. It Shows you every line, every hole, every imperfection. It shows it all. Doesn’t hide anything.
The color of nature. This leaf taught me many things. It spoke stories of growth, harmony, and freshness. I spoke of safety and security. It knew many associations to money.
This leaf is my new friend. We continued our conversation. He said:
“Someone stepped on me yesterday, I am stepped on all the time. All the time people step on me…
I thought about getting mad, but anger is not for me.
It is not my style… Anger is not my style.
Anger is not for me. Anger is not for me.
That’s how I got to be here. Not by plane. Not by boat. Not by foot. No not Nike express…. But I got here by the bottom of your shoe.
Then I told him: I am still a shoe.
This leaf wanted to reach out to all:
For those who have traveled overseas
For those who haven’t left their state
For those who eat caviar and pate
For those who eat Doritos fritos cheetos and everything else that is part of the EETOS family
For those who wear cashmere for those who
From blue collars to white collars
To her, to him, to them, to us
Me, you- all pigments of the universe
No matter who you are look at this leaf look at the line…..
Listen to a couple argue
From one generation to another generation
For the one who sees things as if for the first time
Listen to the message the leaf is sending. Listen closely… The leaf knows.
For the one who has experienced the greatest possible loss, if she still sees in the utter most positive, beautiful, loving way… and she still wants to change the world for the better, you have no excuse. There is no excuse for you not to see the greatness you have in front of you
If he can still appreciate it, value, welcome, understand it, he who has experienced death, not first hand, but second hand… A broken family.

Emptiness. But he still sees. He still sees the beauty. An appreciation of greatness. Yes the greatness is that rip… that tear, that hole. That greatness of a leaf.

Can you appreciate it? Do you see it??


JANET DUSZAK