Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Wise Words

by Judy


Advice From A Tree
by Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend
Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings


Embrace with joy the changing seasons
for each yields its own abundance
The energy and birth of Spring
The growth and contentment of Summer
The wisdom to let go of leaves in Fall
The rest and quiet renewal of winter
Feel the wind and the sun and delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night


Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view!


When I first read this poem I remember saying  "Oh my, Yes, Yes, Yes."  It really resonated with me. I loved it so much I wrote it on the inside cover of one of my journals.  Each time I opened my journal I would read this poem.  

Being a nature lover, and one who turns to nature to unwind and rejuvenate, the tree is always a part of that process.  As we are celebrating here right now, the trees bare branches in the winter remind me of a delicate lace against the blue winter sky. Just when I think that those bare branches are my favorite part of a tree, Spring arrives and I fall in love with the pink and white buds and blossoms bursting forth.  Then of course, the lush green canopy of leaves arrive in Summer, and oh, they must be the most beautiful thing I've seen!  Until the brilliant colors of Fall arrive, and well, you've guessed it, I think that they must be my favorite part of a tree!

The poets words that I read over and over are about embracing the changing seasons. Change is tough for me, but looking at change through the eyes of the poet, through the life of a tree, has helped me manage change more easily.  Each season has a reason, and the changes that happen to the tree over the course of a year allows for much growth and renewal.  What a beautiful metaphor of life. We all go through cycles - good times and bad times, of everything going right, and then, it seems, everything falling apart. We have times of  great creativity and productivity, then possibly long periods of quiet and reflection.  Remember, like the tree, during these changes we are becoming stronger, we are renewing and growing, we are preparing to burst forth again.











7 comments:

Carol said...

Long-standing tree-hugger here for all the reasons you so perfectly articulated here. Thanks for a beautiful post !

Dotti said...

Trees - and nature - can teach us so much, if we let them. This post goes hand in glove with what Kelly said yesterday about trees surviving the storms, showing us that we, too, can survive life's storms. We are an introspective group this month. That's good! It shows we're ready to burst forth this spring.

Sandra said...

A beautiful poem and wonderful trees! I love them in all seasons, but the bare branches in the winter bring me to the essential in life!

Cathy H. said...

Out of all the beauty of nature it's the trees I seem to be draw to most, well right after water, but they can teach us so much. I love this poem. I'll be writing it down and rereading it. Wonderful post!

terriporter said...

Trees have always fascinated me the way they change with the seasons and burst forth with new life every spring. I have not seen this poem before but it really speaks to me and, like Cathy, I'll be copying it to read again and again. I love the soft color in your photos which are a perfect illustration of winter's trees waiting for spring.

Deanna said...

Wonderful post and poem, Judy. Trees teach us so much about life.

Viv@Thoughts from the Desktop said...

My photography feed has more images of trees I think than another subject .They are majestic and full of history, the poem and your words are very thought provoking I'm copying and pasting into my quotes folder for future use !

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