falling maple leaves

these red maple leaves are about to fall. afterwards, these trees will look as if they're dead. through the winter, they will be exposed to cold and seemingly-lifeless and leafless time. there are periods in my life when it feels like autumn--everything seems to fall apart into seeming lifelessness. then it gets worse. winter comes--freezing cold, seemingly unproductive period in nature's lifecycle. during the winter seasons of my life, i must not lose hope and i must remember that spring is coming!