The Parable of the Leaves

It was Thanksgiving morning...my FAVORITE day to go for a run out of the entire year!!! The world is always so peaceful and still...no cars on the road...just all the beauty, peace, and quiet that one needs to simply count her many blessings and talk to God...

And all the while that I was running, I  was intrigued by the leaves that I would find randomly in the middle of the road ALL BY THEMSELVES...

 each one was beautiful...

 ...intricate in detail...

 ...crisp looking in the cold...

 ...slightly covered in frost...

 ...almost "preserved" looking...

 ...each ornate design telling a story...

 ...and testifying of the hand of God...

 ...waiting to be noticed...

 ...waiting for someone to stop and care...

 ...because they were out on their own...

 ...not in the big pile with the rest of the leaves...

 ...but each one just as beautiful...

 ...and just as important...

 ...than the next ONE...

 I felt like God was telling me a story...

 The Parable of the Leaves...

So as I was running, I couldn't help but think of these leaves...I kept thinking of them so much so, that after I finished my running route, I decided to go back around and look at these leaves again...this time walking and taking pictures instead of running. My mind was racing and thinking of the "ONE." 

Each of these leaves to me represented PEOPLE...

People that are all alone on the road of life, maybe waiting to be noticed by some hurried passer~by...

Still beautiful and important with a life story all their own, that's ornate and intricate in detail, maybe from experiences or trials that have left them feeling "out in the cold" or "covered in frost" and yet all the while  looking "preserved" and boldly testifying of the hand of God...

Well, with all of the lessons that I felt Heavenly Father was teaching me, 

I couldn't help but think of "the ONE"...all of the people in my life who may be alone.

And then very appropriately, the Spirit whispered to me to go and visit "the ONE."

I thought of my dear friend Bernice. Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?!  :)

 I thought to myself..."Bernice surely won't be home on Thanksgiving! Her family is so good to come visit her and take her places, so she'll probably be gone...but I'll still stop by..."

 So there she sat watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on T.V. and quilting away...

This is a familiar sight to see...Bernice is always quilting, or writing recipe books, 

or watching the Jazz play on T.V. And while I know that Bernice is not "left out in the cold" or "covered in frost," (she does have an amazing family that takes such good care of her!) she does have a kind of "preserved look" don't you think? ;)

She is 98 years old with an "ornate and intricate life story to tell that completely testifies of the hand of God."

Her birthday is exactly one week after mine, (September 29th) and her husband that has been gone many years now shared my exact birthday...September 22nd...fun things to know! She has also made me smile each and every time she tells me in her sweet voice,

"Did you know that I've been president of the Relief Society 3 times??? :)

She. Is. Awesome. :)

As I visited with Bernice, I found out that she would be celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday with her family, and that today she would just be home..

.possibly waiting for some "hurried passer~by" to stop and notice "the ONE."

 Bernice YOU have touched my life for good and have taught me so many things.

But today more than ever I truly enjoyed our visit, and I will never forget the story that I was told, or more rather taught, about the "Parable of the Leaves."

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm grateful for so many things...especially the leaves! :)