Trees

I was particularly drawn to the trees on my walk this morning.

I felt impressed to really pay attention to them.

At first, I noticed that NONE of the trees have a single trunk and go straight up and down.

None of them.

Then, I began to look closer.

They all have a story, don't they?

This particular trunk has had to build an extra thick coat around itself.

It appears to have built a trunk over a trunk over a trunk.

Imagine the roots under the dirt, unseen, that have allowed it to do so.

As you look up the tree, it has several branches that have broken off, some that are just hanging, and yet others that are newly sprouted and producing leaves.

This one, I call Heidi Rae.

You see, the first trunk fell over.

I would imagine it could no longer weather the storms.

But, the roots didn't give up.

In fact, the grew a second trunk - one that is growing in the opposite direction.

If you look closely, it's actually holding up the other trunk with its weight.

And notice, won't you, the branches and the leaves that are thriving.

All because the roots never gave up on the tree.

It became quite common as I looked around that trees have more than one trunk.

They might fall.

They might start to get sick.

They might not be able to hold the weight of its responsibilities.

So, it grows a second or third trunk to help.

All because the roots know what it needs.

Then, I saw this one.

I stopped and admired it.

It is literally growing side ways - OUT from the bank.

Those roots are thick and strong and are holding that healthy trunk in place as it becomes EVEN stronger from the waves of the water.

This one here...

This trunk actually broke in half.

This is ONE tree.

With the same roots.

Thriving.

No one's trunk, branches and leaves looks the same.

All of our stories are different.

But the roots...

The foundation...

The knowledge that because of our roots we can withstand storms, breaking, falling, splitting down the middle, illness, etc...

We can always live in our worth.