Fall is one of my favorite seasons. As I walked around the property this morning, the sun was just peaking through the trees, the morning fog was still present here and there, and the dew was glistening on the grass. I was savoring the changing of the season. I found myself reaching down picking up different colored leaves as I walked.

As I made my way back, I stopped in front of the barn and started arranging the leaves in a circle on the wooden planks. I smiled and thought what a beautiful representation of a circle of life...


(Cue the off key singing)  🎵 "In the circle of life..." 🎵

We live in the country, it's OK, no one heard me. Yes, yes, now the Lion King song will be stuck in your head all day to...sorry!

Bear with me though, take a moment and read the lyrics below before reading on.

Circle of Life

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the Sun
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

Some say eat or be eaten
Some say live and let live
But all are agreed as they join the stampede
You should never take more than you give

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars

There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the Sun rolling high through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

Songwriters: Elton John / Tim Rice

I have always loved that song. The Lion King is a favorite in our house. Our son still loves to hold up our little dog above his head, like Rafiki did to baby Simba on Pride Rock, mumbling something completely incoherent that makes us laugh every time...and he's 25!

I guess my point to this post is that we all step into this world and find ourselves as a single leaf on a collective circle of life. We trudge through, some finding our place right away, soaring to the top; others make mistake after mistake, feeling as though we are never getting any closer to our purpose. There will be some that fall and pick themselves up, and others whom are overtaken by their surroundings. Some that figure it all out right away, and some that are still trying to figure it all out.

Faith and hope are always being spoken, patience is always being tried. We look for acceptance, we look for growth, we often fight change. We search for redemption, forgiveness, and renewal. Sometimes we feel crowded and sometimes we feel utterly alone.


Bottom line, we all make mistakes, but growth comes from mistakes, and change is inevitable.

As you go through your circle of life, remember that you are not alone. Embrace the season that you are in. Enjoy the simple ordinary things in life. Stop and make a leaf circle, sing out loud, dance goofy, give out more hugs, be kind, smile, help someone, follow your dreams, never stop searching for your purpose, and love every minute of life.

Remember, it is never too late to start over and change can be good.

Some things may be out of our control, and while we are responsible for our own leaf, we are also in this beautiful circle of life together. How awesome is that?!

Come on...sing it with me! 🎵 "In the circle of life..." 🎵