Fruit of November

That’s it, young man 

See the pretty color, red, 

Bright against the leafless November gray 

Try my fruit, fair one, perhaps you’ll stay 

Though wrinkled, my fruit is firm to your tentative 

Exploration, though the glory of my leaves has past 

As they have fallen, leaving my spindly branches 

Naked for your severe appraisal

I am bent further toward the ground than spring 

My thin limbs succumbed a bit 

To gravity’s irresistible continual pull  

Yet still pliable and vibrant, yes 

With innocent joy I hold these 

Last remaining sweetnesses for you,  

Wanderer, seeker of sweetnesses 

Partake and satiate your need 

That’s it, young man  

Take with your fingers my juiciest 

Oh, I love it when you twirl it between  

Your thumb and finger - oops 

... there in your grasp my years’ work 

Happily relinquished for your pleasure 

Yes, there it is, and such a short distance 

From hand to mouth  

That’s it, boy 

Taste the complex flavor of my last fruits 

Conceived in rain and birthed in sun 

Product of my purest essence 

Such great joy from your enjoyment 

Such happiness from your smile 

Watching you relish my free gift 

Surely now you’ll stay 

Greater is my ecstasy 

Realization slowly lights your face 

Even as the color leaves it 

Your hand to your breast 

That’s right, young man 

Lie down with winter’s first flakes 

Your body will nourish me in spring 

For here you’ll surely stay 

When we are young we tend to be blinded by our desires.  That is, we only see what we want.  We don't worry about consequences.  

There are good arguments for both sides.  If we worry too much about the consequences of what we do, we will enjoy what we do that much less, and will probably do less, too.  If we worry too little about consequences we may hurt ourselves or others.  Whole codes of conduct, religions and bodies of law have grown up around desires and consequences.  Today there are probably at least as many human-made consequences as there are natural consequences.  

If there is a reason for everything then there is a reason for consequences, too.  I can think of a few.  The existence of consequences makes us think about our actions in terms of the reactions they will cause; causes us to seek out the wisdom of others; and adds value to accomplishment.  Our victories would lack meaning if defeat were impossible.  

One school of thought says that we manifest our own consequences.  Because our desires are imprecise, the Universe brings us the unpredictable.  Hone the sharpness of your desire to get what your desire, is the message.  Another school of thought says that the wages of sin is death, yet we see that the wages of sin are often wealth and power.  Why?  Perhaps the death referred to here is the death of the soul rather than of the body, I don't know.  

There are good consequences and bad consequences, although we tend to call good consequences by other names, like "achievements," "results", or "successes."  Nevertheless they have the same origin as consequences like "failure" or "losing."  Both negative and positive consequences come from our actions.  

The Wise have taught me that consequences matter less if one detaches from them.  "Detach yourself from outcomes," they say.  They also say to minimize the negative influences in our lives such as desire, anger, fear and ambition, and to maximize positive influences such as equanimity, respectfulness and modesty by looking always inward, for by doing so we help to ensure that our actions are positively motivated - if we take any action at all.  Positively motivated actions will most likely result in positive consequences.  

May your journey be pleasant and long.