I love hiking, especially in shady, wooded areas. This summer, my husband and I escaped to the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee a few times, where the temperatures are usually 10-15 degrees cooler than in Alabama. The woods are a spiritual place for me, and being surrounded by so many living things makes my soul feel like it can breathe a little easier.
This tree struck me with unexpected beauty.
Notice that a new tree sprang out of a decomposing stump. It seemed a fitting metaphor for so many of our journeys in this life.
For all of us, there are times when things pass away. They might be loved ones, cherished friendships, relationships we thought would last, or even hobbies or interests that once held our attention but no longer do. What then?
Well, grief might be in order. Sometimes, change is too painful to simply push aside.
But then, perhaps it’s an opportunity to look for the new growth that emerges even from something we thought was dead and gone. Is there a chance now for a different, healthier relationship? Is this an opportunity to grow in a direction that was stifled before? Are you now unexpectedly but (perhaps to your surprise) delightfully free?
Look again at that tree.
I so admire its tenacity. It’s growing out of what appears to be a rotting stump. It doesn’t grow straight up at first. It’s stubborn and resilient. It reaches parallel to the ground for a while, as if unsure of its own ability to reach toward the sky. And yet, it finally does, finding its own piece of sunshine among the surrounding trees.