Defiant leaf

Survivor
London, ON
October 2024
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Time hasn’t been kind to this leaf. And if I had to guess, bugs and parasites have had their way with it, too.

Yet it still manages to catch the late-afternoon sun just enough to stop me dead in my tracks. And as I hover over this worn-out example of nature’s respiratory system, I ponder the fragility of life, and the fact that most of us would simply look away.

Humans seem to have some odd - or, more precisely, narrow - notions of what is and is not beautiful. Which likely means they miss out on anything outside the limited range of what they deem worthy of their time and attention.

Soon enough this leaf will be gone. Its quiet lessons will stick with me much longer.

#ldnont #medway #green #backlit #stilllife