From the withered tree, a flower blooms.
I have apple trees, but there is one I’m rather fond of
because it’s a beautiful and the oldest of the apple trees. It used to put out
a huge crop of apples. In the spring it would be drenched in the most gorgeous
flowers—creamy white with a delicate tone of pink toward the center.
This tree and me go back a bit of time. The both of us have
seen good and bad years been prolific in the creative process—she her flowers
and beautiful sweet fruit and me with
my ranch and writing.
In 2008 she didn’t
produce quite as many flowers or fruit. We figured she needed a bit of TLC. We
pruned and powdered. In 2009, she was on her way to put on quite a show. Lots
of flowers and they did my heart good to see them. The last week of March we
had a horrible ice storm. It encased all the trees in a glittering coating of
thick ice. Her flowers froze and those still budding and ready to bloom turned
brown and died. Poor thing. She did go on and put out a bumper crop of
leaves—considering the hard freeze, I thought she would die. Nah, she’s tough.
Many of our trees were struggling to put on leaves that year. In 2010, no flowers and there was a tornado.
I had knee surgery. Copious repairs had to be made to our property that year.
It was also the year I really started getting sick. August onward was not good
for me. Last year neither of us was creative or productive. I was beginning to think we were finished.
As I said, we’ve been through a lot, this apple tree and I.
Today, while I was working in the yard, I happen to glance
over at the tree and to my surprise, she had quite a few flowers opening. I had
to walk over and look. I stood under the tree and contemplated how much had
happened in the past couple or years. To the both of us.
We've might have taken a hard hit but I guess you can’t count us out after all.
What have you had to overcome to be productive?
9 comments:
Hi Sia .. I love this story - apples are the fruit of life aren't they - we can do so much with them - and they provide such beauty ..
I think probably this period now with my mother (and uncle for two years of it) and then my own challenges - there's light at the end of the tunnel - and I'm fine fortunately I just need to keep treading the path - my blog helps I must say!
And spring .. it's gorgeous having sunny weather with the birds singing .. cheers and enjoy your week - Hilary
Good day Sia, Lovely read, I love apples . I have been through a few dark tunnels in my life but there is always a light albiet how long it takes to find it.
Have a good day, the weather where I am is great , sunshine, nature at it's best.
Yvonne.
I love your story, Sia. It's interesting what time and patience can do over time. There are many things that are thrown at us everyday that we have to push through. Some days, weeks, months, and years are worse than others. BUT we keep pushing through and that is what counts.
Love the comparison of you and an apple tree. Reminded me of an old and gnarled tree where I used to live in the UK. It didn't bear too much by the time I met it, but it inspired me to write a poem years ago.
Life is full of vicissitudes and surmounting them is what life is all about.
Good morning, Sia! This is such a wonderful story. You have not given up on the tree and the tree certainly hasn't given up on you. Many times good days are hard to come by, but it's how we handle the bad ones that show who we truly are.
In order to be productive, I have to overcome fear everyday. Fear of failure. Debbie Doubt has taken up residence and has refused to move out, so I have to crank my music to drown out her negative thoughts and chase my dreams. Little by little, I'm weaving a bit of my own magic.
Wonderful story. Goes to show with a little love, faith and understand much can be done. Love seeing everything in bloom. Gives hope of wonderful things to come.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Thank you.
Like I said me and that trell have a lot of similarities.
Electric Company is here to replace two electric poles and a Transformer. Going to lose electricity and be off line for at least a couple of Hours. See you on the other side,
Love this, Sia. My post comment would be way too long if I answered what I had to overcome to be productive, but the comparison to the apple tree is so lovely. I'm working on letting go of the need to be productive and just set my intentions to do whatever and let go of the result.
Karen
Hope you get some apples this year. That's one tough little tree.
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