No one noticed her. She was beginning to blossom againhow many years? Im not sure. But yet another spring, a few flowers, a steady but small amount of growth, and until now no one, not even I, noticed her struggle. Her name is Cherry Blossoma tree growing in my backyard.
As I stood there on my deck, my focus was distracted from Cherry Blossom to her yard mate, the Japanese Maple. A tree which is very special to me. She helped me to learn that I need to stand alone. To absorb the sun in my aloneness. When others are around, I allow them to take the sun from me and I am unable to grow. I am learning to grow slowlyjust as I need to just like the Japanese Maple. Now that I am more rooted and I have a safe place, I am able to stand alone and absorb my own sun light.
My attention shifted to Cherry Blossom. I told her, "Your flowers are soft and you have a nice fragrance but you seem to be struggling to survive. Even though you look healthy, you arent growing as healthy and as quickly as you could. What is the matter? Maybe you need to be fed with some special food? Maybe you need more nourishment other than water and sun? Im not sure, but at least now you have my attention."
My friend, Kathleen, a gardener, came to help me ready the soil for a flower garden. While she was digging, I began to loosen the soil from around Cherry Blossom. "Kathleen do you think she needs some special food? She looks like she is struggling to grow up." "Im not sure," Kathleen replied. "Why dont you wait and let me remove the grass and let me loosen the soil? We need to be gentle. That large shovel youre using might damage the roots."
Kathleen began to clear the area around the trunk. She noticed that the base of Cherry Blossoms trunk was deformed. "Here is the problem, " she exclaimed. "This poor tree has been girdled from the plastic. Whoever planted this tree didnt remove the plastic string from around the burlap ball. This poor tree has been restricted right from the beginning, right from her roots. Its a wonder she has lived this long."
Kathleen spent the next hour carefully cutting away the plastic from around the base of the trunk and removing some of the burlap that seemed to be choking her. I began to feel a deep emotion from within my being.
This is a metaphor for my life and could be for the lives of many other people. Such symbolism. Because of someone elses carelessness and/or unawareness, this tree had to struggle to survive. Yet even though she had been girdled and restricted she still had enough spirit and will to want to continue to grow.
I stood there watching as Kathleen gently removed the plastic. "Im not sure that she will make it," said Kathleen. "Now that the plastic has been released she may go into shock. Shes not used to being free. Youll just have to watch her and see what happens."
My eyes welled up with tears as I listened to Kathleen. I know what she means. Im feeling just that way myself. I had been feeling restricted for so long that now that I am feeling free I realize that this freedom is unfamiliar. Therefore, I am taking more time to be still and become more familiar with my feeling of freedom.
Dont be concerned," I told Kathleen. "Ill take special care of her. Ill keep her company, Ill talk to her, nurture her, and give her plenty of water. She also has Japanese Maple standing close to her. They will be company for each other. Theyll help each other grow strong, straight, and tall."
As I sit on my deck, the breeze is cool on my face. The birds are singing and visiting the feeders. The herbs and pansies that I planted seem happy with their new home. Ive come home to rest and be stillto familiarize myself with being free and to find inner peace in my solitudeto learn to have fun and enjoy the beauty that surrounds me in my own backyard.
This event happened two years ago. I wish you could see Cherry Blossom now. She is thriving and has grown almost twice her size since she was released from being strangled by her roots. She and Japanese Maple are good friends and are a comfort for each other. They have survived long hard winters together and are now preparing themselves for this years cold season. Their leaves are beginning to create a blanket to cover their precious roots so that they may return in full bloom next spring.
As for me? My growth has matched my two backyard beauties. With their guidance and the companionship of my animal friends, Bo, my dog and Ariel and Asia, my cats, I am peaceful and have learned that feeling free comes from inside. That it was me that had to choose to remove the girdle and since that time I am thriving, growing, and loving every new day. The feeling of freedom is familiar to me today.
I continue to be surrounded by the beauty of my two friends, Japanese Maple and Cherry Blossom. The sun is shining on all of useach having enough sunlight to be nourished. Each one giving and receiving from each other. I am grateful for the lessons and the guidance that nature has provided me so that I may continue to grow and to share my experiences with my human friends.
Cathy Lavin Clark is a Personal Growth Counselor and Motivational Speaker from Wilmington.
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10/17/97 Issue. Copyright 1997 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved.