Karla’s Korner: Be the Tree

Be the Tree….

On a recent late spring afternoon I sat quietly under an old oak tree in my back yard. Our yard is
full of little critters scurrying about building their nests, feeding new babies and on occasion playing in the trees. As I sat in the stillness of the afternoon I noticed a tiny tree poking through the lava rocks surround the deck steps. I move in to take a closer look and see the tiny sprig that if left in the ground would one day become a big strong tree trunk; the base for many branches and an umbrella of green to shade the yard and provide a home for lots of critters. (Unfortunately it will have to be removed because it is not in an ideal place to grow a large oak tree.) Reflecting on the smallness of the tiny trunk (sprig) that has somehow made its way through the hard soil and rocks I relate it to life and how we need to use force sometimes to get through the rocky times.

Wanting to explore what others thought I posted a picture of my teeny tiny tree and asked my social media friends what they saw encouraging them to look beyond the obvious. One suggested they saw tenacity, another determination for life. Tenacity is defined as “the quality or fact of being very determined; persistence while determination is defined as “fixing or settling a purpose”. Similar thoughts with similar meanings.

Lying down on my back staring up at the old oak tree that provides shade in the summer and a window to the stars in the winter I imagine a tiny seed floating along in the breeze landing on that particular plot of ground waiting for rain to fall, sun to shine and the transformation from seed to sprout to begin. What makes the tender tiny roots strong enough to push through the dirt and rocks to begin its journey to the top of the earth? My faith tells me that our Creator is responsible for the wonders of nature while some would argue that it’s nothing spectacular about it that transformation is scientific at best; it is what it is. For me I believe it is one of those ordinary miracles that when we pay attention we gather a deeper meaning of life, purpose and possibility.

Life, I think is similar to the tiny oak tree in that nothing is really easy and that we must push through the tough stuff in order to find ourselves at the top. But much like the tiny tree we must push forward in order to continue to mature and grow not only our physical selves but our spiritual selves as well. Creating a strong mindset disallowing negativity and embracing an attitude of determination, tenacity and positivity will help keep us focused allowing us to meet our goals, conquer our fears and live the life we are meant to live. We must learn to create a balance in our lives doing something positive for ourselves each and every day. For me I work out at the gym every day in order to nurture not only my physical self but my emotional self as well; mind body and spirit. Embrace fear, let go of things you cannot control (I struggle with this one), practice gratitude even for the tough stuff and never ever give up. Like the little seed that pushes itself through the dirt, mud, muck and rocks to reach to the surface of the soil and receive the warmth of the sun, we too must push through the difficulties of life to find our own way to the life we are meant to live. We must be determined to overcome and achieve.

This week I encourage you to take time out for yourself. Nurture your spirit in whatever way brings you peace and pleasure knowing it is necessary to make ourselves a priority. Set aside time away from work, technology, responsibilities and the busyness of life to focus on yourself knowing that when we are at our best we can do our best for others. Life is tough, demanding and difficult, but if we stay focused and push through like the tiny sprout we will make our way to the top, grow and become the best we can be. Keeping in mind that life is like the seasons ever changing bringing new life, sometimes death, rest and renewal. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

Peace,
Karla

I think we all need a touch point a place we can go to be inspired. Karla is my children’s teacher, a good friend, and a person with a heart of gold. I hope that her words will inspire you to do more. We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. It is important to listen with your heart and proceed with your eyes open. Enjoy!

Read more Karla’s Korner, also please visit Karla’s Lifetime Moms page and read her articles.

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