The Stories Trees Tell

Y’all. I’ve got a moment to share. Woo wee. This is a story about trees.

Let me tell you, trees have been showing up as a recurring theme in my life lately. It all started with a branch. A big ol’ branch that fell during the winter. There’s a whole saga there, complete with a lumberjack from Canada...yeah, that happened, but that’s a story for another day.

Fast forward to me finally cutting up that branch, thinking, Alright, that’s done. Then I come home to see a big red X on the tree in my front yard. Another tree. The one I’ve known for over 45 years. It had to come down.

And just when I thought I was done with trees, I woke up this morning, went out to do some yard work, and found myself standing at yet another tree, pulling weeds. This one’s half dead, some branches broke off last winter, but it’s still standing. And y’all, I love it. I’m pretty sure my dad planted that tree. He passed away in 2020.

I cannot make this up.

So, naturally, I had to Google the spiritual and symbolic meaning of trees because that’s just who I am. And here’s what I found:

The Tree of Life symbolizes harmony, balance in nature, rebirth, and the connection between the earthly and the spiritual. Trees represent strength, individuality, expression, calmness, growth, and the interconnectedness of everything.

Now, that’s a lot to unpack. And trust me, I’ll go down that rabbit hole. But here’s the part that really struck me: that half-dead, half-alive tree in my yard? It’s a perfect metaphor for where so many of us find ourselves.

We hold on to the parts of our lives that are no longer alive, like branches that have broken off and seasons that have passed. We cling to what once was, trying to nurture it, trying to keep it alive. But the truth is, we can’t. What’s gone is gone. Those branches aren’t coming back.

And yet, there’s this other part of the tree. Alive, vibrant, blooming. That’s where the energy is. That’s where the growth is. And that’s where we need to focus.

It’s so easy to stay tethered to the past, to the things we’ve lost, to the stories we tell ourselves about who we used to be. But what if we poured our energy into what’s still alive? Into what’s still growing? Into the parts of ourselves that are thriving right now?

I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe the universe speaks through everyday experiences. And when we’re stressed, scared, angry, or just plain lost, it’s usually because we’re trying to control something that isn’t ours to control.

So let me ask you: what’s a recurring theme in your life? Because there’s a message there.

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