Autumn Leaves

The common thread that connects all the stories in the book is the Fall or the Autumn. Autumn symbolizes a time of self-reflection. It is also the transition from light to darkness like twilight when day slowly melts away into the darkness but not before revealing the resplendency of the setting sun. It is also a period of accepting the reality of the present and moving towards and preparing oneself for the future: a period of contemplation and accepting impermanence. Like the seasons, we also change within ourselves whether it is coping with impermanence, overcoming the ghosts of the past, or learning to make our lives more meaningful. 'Autumn Leaves' narrates the reality of being left alone as one ages due to the splintering of families and the slow drifting away of relationships. The story traces one family's travel through four generations. 'Amora' is all about the failure to distinguish between love and infatuation before realizing that relationships are based on understanding and acceptance and that alone is permanent. 'Enigma', brings together two individuals who are diametrically opposite in nature but stay bonded till the end. The story is about friendship, love and that the meaning of our existence lies in how useful a life we have led.