The woods looked different at night. The squirrels weren't out, but a field mouse suddenly scurried by, ducking into a pile of leaves at the base of a tree. For the first time, I saw the forest. I mean, really saw the forest. Even in the moonlight, I could see the variation in the colors of the leaves on the trees. The colors were dim in the moonlight, but still there. The leaves were yellow, orange, a burnished red, and a rich brown, all faded in the moonlight, but still there.

Then ...