Being A Redwood

Trouncing through the woods this past weekend reminded me of life. There is nothing like a good commune with nature to clear the cobwebs out of the brain. This reminder came from a couple of majestic redwoods.They stood deep within the forest wearing the thousands of years of age with dignity. Tall, thick, towering giants they were, staring down at the puny human on the ground. Branches had fallen off. Fire had scared them deep inside, neighbors were cut down. Yet, they stood tall and strong, reaching for the sun.The trees and seen rain, snow, the earth move and fire and yet still grew majestically towards the heavens. It shows up every day and is a redwood. It shows up morning, noon and night and grows no matter what.Then, I listen to the silence. It was quiet. I touched its trunk. It vibrated with a radiant energy beyond description. It was simply living.The trees do not complain about the weather. They don’t wonder if they are loved. They don’t worry about the cold. They do not cry when burned. They do not have issues with their spouse, mother or neighbors. They simply live. They keep growing. They show up day-in and day-out and just live.What a fabulous reminder to us puny humans. If we show up each day and relax and live life rather than complain about what happens to us, we grow into majestic redwoods. We live life instead of resisting it and the events that happen to us.Ever see a picture of tree rings? Some are thick and some are thin. A tree doesn’t cry, “Why is this happening to me?” during a drought. It simply adjusts to the current conditions but continues growing. When burnt, it recovers. And, continues growing.My, my my, the words that a tree never needs to speak are profound. Become a redwood. Live life to the fullest.