New Leaf

As I thought about how I wanted to express what I wanted to write for the Sunday Scribblings prompt... I got distracted by the prompt. I've used the expression.. turn over a new leaf, but never thought of its origin before. I now feel dopey, I had only imagined it to mean turning a new leaf, like a New green leaf on a beautiful tree. Maybe, I'm not the only one to think that? Here is what I just learned on good old google...

the idiom started because the word “leaf” is used to refer to any flat sheet, especially the pages of a book. (Have you ever “leafed” through a magazine?) Before the invention of the printing press, manuscripts had to be copied out by hand. Copying was performed by monks, whose education and contemplative lifestyle lent themselves to this mission. Copying a single manuscript was a huge task. Doing so beautifully and without error required great skill and discipline. Imagine a frustrated novice with ink stained fingers who is facing a page full of errors, too many to ignore and impossible to correct. Along comes an experienced Brother. He puts his hand on the novice’s shoulder and gently says, “Turn over a new leaf. Start again. And don’t be so hard on thyself.”

that makes SO much more sense! But now that I've learned and shared this... It's too late to put my original idea on a new leaf... UH post. I need to get up and Zumba in the A.M.
And since one leaf I intend to turn in the new Year is taking better care of thyself, I mean Myself, I need to get enough sleep! So excuse me while I make like a tree.... and leave.
goodnite!