On my walk yesterday, I stumbled upon something that made me stop in my trecks. It’s late August here in Florida, a time when the humidity is almost unbearable, and the sun is unforgiving. But as I strolled along in the evening, I noticed a crape myrtle tree that stood out. Crape myrtles bloom just as spring fades into summer, almost as though the magnolia and jacaranda trees hand over their beauty saying “tag, you’re it! It’s your season to shine.”
The showy pink flowers of the crape myrtle have wrinkled petals that resemble crepe paper, and these trees put on a spectacular display with flowers in a wide range of colors—white, lavender, violet, hot pink, baby pink, deep red. Some varieties are particularly striking with deep crimson, almost black leaves that make the bright flower petals pop even more. While their leaves may not be as grand as a sycamore’s, the colorful blooms bring a playful energy to the lively pace of summer.
Crape myrtles hold a special place in my heart because they’re the only trees around here whose leaves change color and actually fall from the trees as autumn approaches. While most of the country gets to enjoy the burnt oranges, reds, and ambers of the season, we’re surrounded by endless green foliage until the tiny the crape myrtle leaves begin to change. But what caught my eye yesterday was something different. This particular tree was a mix of dark green leaves, super hot pink flowers, and—surprisingly—some leaves already tinged with red and orange. In the midst of the summer heat, autumn had already begun to have her way with this crape myrtle. How peculiar. It was as if the tree was living in two seasons at once—experiencing the full bloom of summer while also beginning the transition to fall. Showing signs of both life and death.
This made me think of us as humans and how truly multidimensional we are. How we can feel two conflicting emotions at once. How we can play multiple roles all at the same time. How our thoughts and our actions don’t always align. How we can be in our prime in some respects while beginning to deteriorate in others. How our journeys are not as linear as the text in a storybook might suggest. These dimensions add depth to who we are, reminding me that as humans we are ever evolving and quite complex.
Yesterday, nature whispered that it’s okay to straddle two different seasons of life at the same time. And guess what? If nature can do it, then so can we because we are simply nature after all.
