the tree

She was just a leaf that was preparing itself to fall away as soon as the season changed.

A wise man told me I was a tree and as ridiculous as it sounds, that statement changed me. I like to depend on people so that they are my roots, but the unstable roots create a drained tree. He told me that I represented the tree itself and my roots had to be God. The branches were my dependable friends that grew stronger with time and never left me. The twigs were strong at times, but not always and would eventually fall off. The leaves were seasonal and although they would provide color to my life, they were never meant to have a permanent residence.

My question to the wise man remained focused on the leaves in my life. What if you desperately wanted a leaf to be a branch? What if the leaf promised to be a branch but disguised itself? What if the tree felt colorless and ugly when the leaves left?

A leaf, although disguised, is still a leaf. Sometimes a branch or a leaf's identity is discovered through time and time only. A tree is not designed to feel alive and colorful every season, a tree is designed to weather life as life comes. When winter hits, the season produces a different kind of beautiful that may be harder to see. The wonderful aspect of the changing seasons is that time cannot destroy a trees roots. God is stable even when the world isn't.

This photograph inspired post is finally published after a years residency in my drafts. A leaf was recently lost this month and God has been faithful to replace her with new friendships.