The Cottonwood Tree

As I sat in the hot tub in the thin, early morning, New Mexico spring sunlight, I was inspired by the massive grandfather/mother cottonwood tree backlit by the azure blue sky. Never, not from seed to giant, does it ever doubt who it is. It always knows when it can safely bring its leaves out for display and when the earth below is soft and ready and it’s time to send its cotton seeds out to find a place to land and sprout. It has deep roots to sustain our great spring winds and summer monsoons. Change brings no doubt, fear or regret. When it’s time for its leaves to whither and fall, it first celebrates by adorning itself in golden, shimmering hues. Even in its winter form, the twisted gnarly limbs and branches stand beautiful against the autumn sky. It stands both for itself and for the refuge, safe harbor and resting place for numerous birds and climbing critters. So strong, so steady… All it needs is the necessities, the earth to grow in and to provide food for nourishment, water and the sun.

Then there’s us… We come into this world dependent on others for our physical, mental and emotional survival as children. This can be a beautiful and nurturing experience, or not. Either we develop deep, sturdy roots fed by love, or shallow, weak roots that allow us to blow over in every storm. Then of course because we are humans, we have our ability to choose. What will our paths be? What choices will we make? What are our goals? Depending on how our gentle young spirits were nurtured, do we feel safe enough in this world to bring forth our own ideas and potential or do we hide behind doubts and fear and wither and close? Can we change and shift as needed and still maintain our glory or do we remain rigid and stuck where we are? Are we strong enough in ourselves to be a safe harbor for others or do we remain dependent and self-absorbed? Is true happiness our goal or just survival? Can we walk the authentic truth within us, or are we too invested in an image of who we think we should be to even recognize our true selves?

It may be much more complicated for us as thinking, reasoning, emotional beings then the massive cottonwood tree, but how beautiful is it that we can create our own world and our reality?

Here’s a question for you:

How can you nurture and nourish yourself to become as magnificent as you can be?

Joni Holub, Walking Truth Life Coaching

www.Joniholubwalkingtruth.com