On a small hill, deep in the woods, there grew a beautiful maple tree full of green leaves. Toward the top of the tree were two little leaves. There they hung, side by side, enjoying the soft breezes, the dew in the morning, and the warm sunshine. At night, they gazed up into the sky and counted the twinkling stars.

Slowly, the air began to get crisp and cool. "Mama, what’s happening?" asked the first little leaf.

"Autumn is coming," said the mother leaf.

"What is autumn?" asked the second little leaf.

"Well," answered the mother, "Soon all the leaves will turn beautiful colors like yellow, orange, and red, and then we’ll let go of the tree and fall to the ground."

The first little leaf gasped. "Let go of the tree? But we love our tree! And we love to hang here together! What if we get hurt when we fall down?"

The mother leaf smiled. "Don’t worry, dear. Leaves like us do the same thing every year. Your sister and I will be right there with you."

But the little leaf shook her head. "I don’t want to fall. I want to stay here, always."

"Sometimes God wants us to do things that seem scary, or even wrong," the mother explained. "But we have to trust Him, because He knows what is best for us."

But as the air grew colder and the wind blew harder, the little leaf grew more and more worried. Her sister looked forward to the day she would trade her colors, and even more the day she would tumble to the ground. The mother leaf stayed content and joyful, enjoying one daughter’s eagerness and soothing the other’s worries.

Soon, just as the mother had said, all the leaves in the woods changed from green to other brilliant colors. The maple tree was a beautiful golden yellow. The second little leaf was ecstatic. "It’s so beautiful!" she cried. "Don’t you think so?"

The first little leaf smiled. "Well, yes, I suppose it is," she admitted. But her smile vanished when she looked down at the ground. "I won’t let go," she whispered. "Ever!"

As the weeks passed, the leaves on the maple tree dropped, one by one, to the ground below. Each time, the first little leaf squeezed her eyes shut until they had reached the ground. Still, even though she saw them make their trip safely, she insisted that she would never fall.

One particularly windy day, the second little leaf was swinging happily on her branch. Suddenly she knew it was time to let go. "Mama! Watch me!" Then she let go of the maple tree and swirled gracefully to the ground. "Wheeee!"

The first little leaf peered down at her sister, tears welling up in her eyes. "Mama, please stay here with me," she pleaded.

"I must do what God wants me to do, dear," the mother leaf answered. "When God created the world, He created leaves so they would fall in autumn. It’s part of His plan." She paused briefly as the remaining leaves fluttered in the wind. "My prayer for you is that you will submit yourself to God’s will." Then, with a joyful smile, the mother leaf floated down to join the second little leaf on the ground.

Thoughtfully, the first little leaf watched her go. "My mind is made up," she told herself. "I’m going to stay in our beautiful maple tree forever." A gust of wind played with the branches of the tree, and another leaf fell. But the little leaf hung on with all her might.

That night, the little leaf looked up at the stars and thought about her sister. "I wish she was up here with me," she sighed. Still, nothing would change her mind.

The next morning, the little leaf woke up and looked around her at the big maple tree. Only a few leaves remained. With a start, she realized the tree was no longer beautiful. Now the ground was beautiful! It was the leaves that gave the tree it’s beauty!

The little leaf thought about what her mother had told her. "God does have a plan," she whispered, "And I want to be part of it." She looked down at the leaf-covered ground once more. Falling still seemed scary. "But I’m going to do it," the little leaf said, "Because God wants me to!"

With that, she let go of the maple tree and twirled in the wind to the ground, full of the joy that comes from doing the will of God.

So, on a small hill, deep in the woods, under a bare maple tree, lived two little yellow leaves and their mother. There they lay, side by side, enjoying the soft breezes, the dew in the morning, and the warm sunshine. At night, they gazed up into the sky and counted the stars, and thought about God’s love and care.