Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
If I am being honest, fall isn’t my favorite time of the year. It’s typically colder, wetter and a bit drearier than some of the other seasons. That said, I will acknowledge that part of the season is gorgeous, especially when it comes to the falling leaves. Take this image for example. While walking in our neighborhood, I saw this single maple leaf with its vibrant hues of yellow, orange, with hints of red. These colors, against the dark and wet background of the pavement, highlight the brilliance even more. Given the fact that this same leaf, when attached to the tree, is a pale green provides an even more compelling transformation.
As we know, this color transformation is actually the life cycle of the leaf losing its chlorophyll, as it no longer is in the business of photosynthesis. Amazingly, those colors, or pigments, are always present but don’t ‘show up’ until the dominant chlorophyll is no longer present.
As Christians, are we similar to these leaves? Do we possess these beautiful traits, only to be overshadowed by the world we live in? When we have God in our daily walk, and He is able to remove the “dominance” of a sinful planet, only then can we reflect His beauty and His character to others.
When I think of it that way, maybe fall is growing on me after all. Maybe, just maybe I’m becoming able to look past the grey, cold days and cherish the beautiful colors God has provided. I certainly hope, no matter what the season, I am able to reflect the true colors of God and share His love to all.