As I lay in my hammock, watching the leaves of the birch tree flutter in the wind like butterflies huddled together as a group, I wish for time to pass. I wish to be done with this assignment, to let this week be over, and in the back of my mind, I wish to be done with highschool. But for now, I watch the leaves cling to the tree, trying to resist the pull of the wind. The wind insists, and the leaves will try to hold on for as long as they can, through the stages of yellow, orange, red and eventually brown.

Change.

It is something some may resist and some may embrace. Change is all around us, happening as we speak and as we live. We couldn’t live without changing. From childhood, we experience a tremendous amount of change, which is an essential part of who we become. We learn how to communicate with others, we gain independence from our mothers, acquire new knowledge about how to tie our shoes or where milk comes from. Change makes us who we are. We cannot resist growing older, for it’s a privilege to age. Like those leaves hanging on to the tree, we can’t stay in the same place forever. We must eventually let go, flowing through this experience, and land on the ground as a different person. Or land as a dying leaf, ready to decompose into the ground and become one with the earth again. Life is a continuous cycle, always changing.

Change can be frustrating, terrifying, nerve racking, and plain old annoying. It may cause stress in life, a sense of unease, or anxiety for the fear of what will happen next. These feelings are relevant, but so is the need for change. We need change, and change needs us. The world needs to keep progressing and growing.

Change shapes us into the people we are. The experiences and new opportunities in life give us different perspectives on people, places and ideas. It can be uncomfortable putting yourself in new situations or meeting unfamiliar people. My freshman year of highschool, I took my first art class which was painting. I was scared of the teacher and the upperclassmen in the class. I was trying something new by taking a painting class, and I thought my painting would turn out bad. I ended up loving that art class. I have taken a painting class every year since then and I became friends with one of the seniors that trimester. My college essay application that I wrote this year was based on my experiences painting and the work I have done. I even applied for an art scholarship using my pieces. If I didn’t take a risk, I would not be where I am today. I’m grateful that I pushed myself to try something new.

The leaves of the birch tree wave at me, swaying side to side. I love the stark contrast of the green against the pale yellow sky. As I look down at my feet, I notice the leaves are a mixed paint palette filled with greens, yellows, browns and oranges. It looks like someone swirled oil paints together. The wind blows, and I watch the leaves dance across my feet. The paint continues to swirl and mix as the wind blows. The leaves crunch under my feet, and I smear the painting as I walk.

Unlike a normal walk, I’m taking my time for this one.  I am not in a hurry and I don’t have a destination in mind. I am here to enjoy the feeling of autumn and what it brings, so I am going to enjoy this time I have right now. The long grass flutters, and some pine needles fall to the ground near it. Birds chirp, swirling high in the trees. The wind nips at my nose as I look around. Soon fall will change to winter, and a blanket of snow will cover the signs of life. But for now, the leaves on the trees will cling onto the sweet idea of summer, trying not to get swept away by the bitterness of winter.

It’s kind of the same for people. We cling onto summer, dreading the cold winter to come. People get sad as the temperature lowers and the leaves change color, and frown at the idea of getting coats out of the closet. But I will happily pull my coat out and watch the leaves turn colors. To me, fall is amazing. It’s the time for hot coffee, reading books under a blanket, carving pumpkins, pulling on a big sweater, and snuggling with my cats. I can leave my window open a crack at night. I’m thankful for the changing seasons, and embrace whatever wonder I get to enjoy next, while others may wish for a season to pass by fast.

I want to enjoy what I have in the moment, not wish for whatever is coming next. I struggle with that. I don’t enjoy what's happening now, I am just waiting for whatever exciting thing is coming next. We are all always waiting for Friday, and don’t appreciate the week. These weeks are the majority of our lives, and we just wish them away. One day I am wishing for my thirteenth birthday, then I am wishing for high school graduation, finally I am at college, I want to graduate and find a job, I can’t wait for retirement, and so on until my life is over. We are always wishing for the next part of our lives, hoping to be happy when those times are upon us.

Trees don’t do this. They change through all the seasons, losing leaves and growing them again, a continuous cycle. We get so caught up in everyday life that we don’t appreciate the little things. The trees appreciate the sun that gives them warmth and light, the soil for keeping them grounded and water for allowing them to live. They help others by giving endless bugs and animals food and shelter. Trees give animals and humans oxygen, and we wouldn’t be here without them. We need to appreciate what we have.

I take a deep breath as I lay back on my hammock, and I reach my bare hand out towards the sky. The pale yellow fills up the space between my spread hands, my hand dark against the light. The wind blows, and I pull my hand back to put into my mitten. I watch a single leaf float down, swirling and landing by my feet. I close my eyes, appreciating the sounds of leaves rustling and birds chirping. I am present, in the here and now.