deciduous

deciduous

 dih-SIJ-oo-uhs\ , adjective;

1.Falling off or shed at a particular season, stage of growth, etc.

 

Some of my favorite moments in my day come from misunderstandings. Overhearing the wrong part of a conversation, or walking into a conversation at just the wrong moment. Overhearing the cashier at the supermarket telling the elderly gentlemen he is going to start getting some as soon as his wife leaves town, only to realize later they were talking about hobbies, well, that just makes my heart swell with joy and happiness. 

I had the same experience reading the definition of deciduous for the first time. Upon initial glance I mistakenly believed it meant to fall off a shed, as opposed to simply shedding, and had a charming little visual of people tumbling from sheds all over the country. I had no idea why they were on top of the shed in the first place, and to be honest I didn't care to know why, all that was important to me was people continue to fall from sheds. 

After careful consideration, and much to my disappointment, I realized that deciduous simply implies an act of falling off, or shedding, as in trees or leaves. I suppose it makes more sense that way, although I don't want it to.