I've been thinking about trees over the last few days. I like trees of all types, and especially those that flower. Dogwoods are a particular favorite (pink especially...too bad we killed the pink dogwoods DH bought for me). I love trees in the spring, when they start to bud and come back to life after winter.I really loved spring in Anchorage (all three days of it, LOL!). One day, the trees were nothing but bare branches, appearing for all intents and purposes to be dead. And then suddenly, the next morning as I drove to work, I noticed the faintest hint of green among the trees...and then the next day, the green was darker and I knew that winter truly was almost over. Buds and leaves literally popped out and grew overnight. It was amazing.
The other day I saw a tree that had lost most of its leaves. But there were still a few left, and they were the most gorgeous shade of red. It was as if the tree was making a statement to the seasons -- yes, you make take my leaves, but not without a fight. Not without one last, glorious show of life and passion and color...and hope.
The other day I saw a tree that had lost most of its leaves. But there were still a few left, and they were the most gorgeous shade of red. It was as if the tree was making a statement to the seasons -- yes, you make take my leaves, but not without a fight. Not without one last, glorious show of life and passion and color...and hope.
I think that's what trees symbolize for me...the promise that spring always follows winter. The promise of rebirth...of new growth, new life...the promise of hope.
Hope and faith are have been sadly lacking in my life over the last year. It is so easy to hope, to believe, and to have faith when things are going well, when life is easy. I can honestly say that most of my life has been that way. But the last year has been really hard for me, for various reasons.
I feel like a tree...a year ago was my summer...in full bloom, alive with color, thriving. And then fall set in...slowly the weather cooled and the leaves, the beautiful and colorful leaves, began to fall off the tree. And like the trees in your yard, suddenly one day you look at the tree and see nothing but the stark brown trunk and bare branches, sticking out at odd angles, with leaves scattered about on the ground.
Hope and faith are have been sadly lacking in my life over the last year. It is so easy to hope, to believe, and to have faith when things are going well, when life is easy. I can honestly say that most of my life has been that way. But the last year has been really hard for me, for various reasons.
I feel like a tree...a year ago was my summer...in full bloom, alive with color, thriving. And then fall set in...slowly the weather cooled and the leaves, the beautiful and colorful leaves, began to fall off the tree. And like the trees in your yard, suddenly one day you look at the tree and see nothing but the stark brown trunk and bare branches, sticking out at odd angles, with leaves scattered about on the ground.
I have been through fall and am now in winter. My leaves have fallen and as they have fallen I have felt my faith and hope faltering. I feel bare and stark and like my branches are sticking out at odd angles while I stand alone in the middle of the yard, unsheltered. I have struggled and cried and whined and complained. All to no avail. I wanted my leaves back, to continue the tree metaphor. I wanted things just the way they were in summer, before things were hard to deal with, when life was going the way I wanted it to go.
But I have realized in the last few days, that even though winter may be long...cold and dark and lonely and, oh, so long...there is always the promise of spring. Always. It is a natural law -- spring will and must always following winter. Sometimes spring comes earlier than expected, and sometimes later. But it always comes. And with spring comes rebirth, growth, new life...that faintest shimmer of green among the bare, brown branches.
Trees manage to survive through winter, and come out more beautiful in the spring when they grow and bloom. The same leaves don't grow back, but new leaves grow. The tree will never look exactly the same from one spring to the next -- the leaves may be bigger or smaller or more plentiful. But they always grow back. I think trees actually need winter in order to thrive. I need to do the same thing. I need to survive winter and come out stronger in the spring.
I know what I need to do in order to make it through this winter period. I just need to do it. It's worth doing. I know it is. Even when things seem so dark and cold and hopeless, deep down I know that it's worth it.
Spring will come.
But I have realized in the last few days, that even though winter may be long...cold and dark and lonely and, oh, so long...there is always the promise of spring. Always. It is a natural law -- spring will and must always following winter. Sometimes spring comes earlier than expected, and sometimes later. But it always comes. And with spring comes rebirth, growth, new life...that faintest shimmer of green among the bare, brown branches.
Trees manage to survive through winter, and come out more beautiful in the spring when they grow and bloom. The same leaves don't grow back, but new leaves grow. The tree will never look exactly the same from one spring to the next -- the leaves may be bigger or smaller or more plentiful. But they always grow back. I think trees actually need winter in order to thrive. I need to do the same thing. I need to survive winter and come out stronger in the spring.
I know what I need to do in order to make it through this winter period. I just need to do it. It's worth doing. I know it is. Even when things seem so dark and cold and hopeless, deep down I know that it's worth it.
Spring will come.
