Pages

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Our Resilience Tree

Resilience Tree

This little tree, currently in our dining room, has suffered through four moves across country. The first was in 1987, then 1989, and again in 2006 and 2008. Each time we prepared to leave, it's branches were bent, pushed in a box that is lined with a black hefty bag, and it is deprived of light and fresh air for almost two weeks. More than once its path took it through hot summer weather in an eighteen wheeler whose contents grew hot enough to melt the rubbermaid tubs I packed things in. As we unpacked, it emerged tired and weak, almost dead, and each time we feared it wouldn't come back. It always did.

This time we feared the worst. It was bone dry, not a green thing alive on its withered branches. We left it on the back deck for almost a month. Suddenly, just a week ago, tiny shoots appeared almost magically. As if from a life line somewhere deep within it, its new growth is more beautiful than before.

This small tree is a a symbolism of resilience in our family and the 23 year relationship Leslie and I share.

The brooms? Oh, I use them all the time. The one on the left is my commuter broom. I use it to go to work. The one on the right, the fancy one, is our weekend broom, and we use it only for family outings.

A girls' got to get around, doesn't she?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your resilient tree story. I have a juniper bonsai tree that I have been working to revive. It was scorched in the heat. Something tells me I will have to speak with it more? What do you imagine your tree would say if you could hear it speak?

Anonymous said...

Donna, I just love this, and am amazed at all you and Leslie have done during your 23 years together, and your unflagging support for each other and making life better with each move.

There is so much beauty in resilience.

Donna L. Faber said...

Hi, Liara ... what would our tree say to us? Something like this, "Are you people done wandering around the country yet? Sheesh!"

Jane, while I am rarely at a loss for words, it can be difficult to put into words how much I love Leslie. She is everything to me. Simply everything.

D~

Anonymous said...

I love the tree. It reminds us that we have more spirit and inner strength than we realize sometimes. Very cool story!

Best,
Pamela

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...