Renewal

Last summer, Texas had the worst drought in history.  One of my favorite trees in the back yard is looking a little dead.  The other trees have little blooms sprouting up and are happily showing the signs of spring.  But, not my favorite tree.  The one with the BIG, FAT happy leaves who in Fall will blanket my backyard.  I LOVE when that happens, and so does my dog.  But, last week I walked outside and walked under it to see if there were any buds.  ANY sign of life and there were none.  I wrote the tree off and added it to my list of things to do.  Tree man here we come.

Except, a couple of days ago there were some leaves on my tree.  I was skeptical, but hopeful.  Because there were JUST a few, but enough.  Today, there are so many buds on my tree that my tree is still going.  Still. Still.

And that made me think, that maybe we are all like my tree.  Droughts, pain, disappointment, unwanted thoughts just bear down on our souls and we become parched.  And, we release a lot of the old things hanging around us and pushing down on our shoulders and then we withdraw.  Going down inside to burrow for a little while.  We seem withdrawn and sad, but deep down we know that we are merely putting some balm on a much bruised and battered soul.

I think, I believe, that every two years or so, we must redefine ourselves or we stay burrowed inside.  Too set in our ways, too comfortable with JUST enough, and we lose a little more of our spark.  So, when the turmoil comes, and it will, know that it is merely our chance.  Our redemption.  The redemption of us to truly be able to redefine ALL that we are.  It is a gift.  One that if we focus TOO much on the unhappiness and the pain that we cannot get past, we will miss it. 

And that would be the real trajedy.