Wondering About Trees

Have you ever wondered why tree branches grow the way they do? I love taking walks through nature and admiring the beauty of the world in which we live. For some reason, I'm really drawn to trees - the movement of the leaves as they dance in the breeze and shield me from the sun, the unique patterns of the bark, and the way the branches sometimes twist and turn as they grow.

So, if you look closely at a tree, you will notice, of course, that every so often, there's a new branch. And I wonder, what determines that at this particular point there will be a branch? And what determines the direction in which that branch will grow? I've seen trees where all the branches grow straight up, and others where the trees appear to be arthritic. Some trees grow in harsh, windy climates, so all the trees in one area may lean a little in one direction. But often their growth seems to me to be inexplicable; I can see no rhyme or reason for this growth.

Trees are very symbolic. They appear in secular and religious literature, poetry, and music. They symbolize, at times, shelter, love, calm, peace, and many other concepts, I'm sure. But at times, they can be symbolic of the individual - of every person who has had to fight through life, reaching upwards towards the sun, and expanding roots downwards to reach vital nutrients.

When I was young, my dad told the story of a tree that was unexpectedly split in two during a violent storm. No one could understand how such a venerable old tree could have been destroyed so easily. It seemed like a strong tree, with good, deep roots. And yet, it had been destroyed. Eventually, someone identified the problem. When the tree was relatively young, some kids that lived in the house had been using an axe to chop wood. Upon completion of the task, the kids put the axe in the crook of a branch for safekeeping. Their father told them to remove the axe, but they kept forgetting to do so. Over time, the tree grew new branches around the axe and it became completely overgrown. No one even knew it was there anymore. But the whole tree was weakened by its presence and when the storm came, the tree was entirely destroyed. A task that would have been so simple had it been completed right at the start (removing the axe), and which would have been lifesaving, became impossible and ultimately led to the demise of the tree.

It makes me think of the little things that I need to do right now, to strengthen my inner self - simple things that could potentially be lifesaving. And I hope I will have the wisdom and foresight to do them, so that when the storms come (as they do for everyone in this life), I will be able to stand strong.