Their colors change, they fall apart, and then hibernate while the world is cold. No one asks why their colors change. No one asks why they fall apart. No one asks why they want to sleep for a few months.

They look at the process and call it beautiful. Why isn’t me falling apart and hiding for a bit beautiful? I’ll come back in the spring too. My spring is sporadic and may not last long. But god damn it, I’ll come back in the spring and that should be beautiful.