Turn over a new leaf – where does that phrase come from? How are the words ‘leaf’ and ‘page’ related? Oxford Reference says that a leaf page is a “Web page in a Web site which contains no hyperlinks to other pages. It represents a dead end.” Wikipedia says “A page is one side of a leaf (or sheet) of paper, parchment or other material (or electronic media) in a book, magazine, newspaper, or other collection of sheets, on which text or illustrations can be printed, written or drawn.”
I believe that the phrase “turning over a new leaf” predates the Internet age, although that definition is a good one for my theme of beginning, yet again. But, I am also relating to the Wikipedia and printers’ definition. When you turn over a new leaf, you are beginning with a whole new sheet of paper – a true clean start – a blank page!
As a child, I thought that a blank piece of paper was the best gift ever – especially with crayons and/or a pencil! I almost never had one because paper was a luxury my family couldn’t afford. Instead, I had to settle for torn out, unused paper from my dad’s teacher’s plan book or the backs of letters. With my dad’s pages, I either ignored the boxes and drew over the top of them, or filled each individual box with a picture. I loved creating princesses in fancy dresses and beautiful houses or castles or gardens with crazy trees and flowers. These were my earliest stories.
So, here I am with a website filled with endless potential blank leaves and they are bigger than those little two inch squares of my dad’s teacher planning book. I can’t possibly fill them all, but I will try to create some new stories to fill some of them with new stories and thoughts. Here’s to the future!
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
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