Learn from the leaf
And not the tree
Fall if you must
But softly
Be gentle with yourself
Life isn’t easy
The breeze tries to carry
The wind shatters
Tree crashes
But the leaf
Being light
Knows
descending gently matters
The last week was like surmounting a personal Everest. Hard exhausting climb, exultant high of achievement and then the real world crashes in again, reality returns, and I descend.
But..I’ve learned a few things in this life so far
No one can carry the weight of your sadness
Equally
No one can carry your joy
Empathy has its limits
And that’s okay
Also – life demands balance
Highs come with lows
Or
What goes up must come down
But we can choose how we descend
Sometimes …
More on Substack
Header photo is of a sculpture of a dandelion I took while out for a celebratory quiet dinner with my husband the other night. I have gained my Remote Pilot Operator Licence and Aeronautical radio cert as well.
So – a very high point after intense study, did I fall like a leaf? No, I crashed – but I did try, damage could have been worse, just a couple of sleepless nights and cortisol poisoning , and I have learned a few lessons, It’s all just practice.
Cheers
wonderful: the gentleness of the verse is so soothing; a wonderfully constructed rhyming poem, unstrained —
Learn from the leaf
And not the tree
Fall if you must
But softly
This is brilliant.
hi Kate
i got to read the substack post before you put this one up. i think you and a few others on here would understand my situation if i ever decided to write in depth about it. i say this because your substack piece was so meaningful to me. my blog is primarily designed as a way to record my soft landing in my professional life. it’s been a ride and as much as I wish i could catch a second funnel of wind currents to take me back up again, i have to accept the large possibility that this run may be the definitive and final run of prosperity in my life. . the thought keeps me up at night and makes me stare into the distant horizon during the day. but reading your piece gave me a sense of clarity and support. i don’t know if there is something additional i can articulate from it outside of a conceptual way to land myself. but even if that is the only thing, i am still very much thankful that i read it. your writing really does make a difference Kate. and if it sparked a sense of understanding in me, then i know your other pieces have done the same for others. Mike