The Global Achievers The Global Achievers / July Issue | Page 19

Some trees were born of seeds that were carried by the wind, finally landing in that perfect spot of soil that was conducive to the germination of that seed, while other trees were planted purposefully for specific reasons, and with intentional end results in

mind. So it is within our journeys, some of us were born into families that planned our arrivals and much if not all that existed on the other side of birth, while others where as

those seeds that were carried by the wind, eventually landing far from that place where the original mother tree remained firmly rooted.

No matter how a tree originally comes to be, one thing is true of all trees that live, grow tall, and flourish; they only live and grow tall if their root system is strong and planted deeply. Shallow root systems produce shallow branches, and shallow branches remain weak and eventually either whither and die or simply are broken from the tree by the winds of change or a momentary passing storm.

Just as trees grow stronger and, in the process develop branch-after-branch, allowing the tree to become more and more viable and contribute in many positive ways to the environment in which it exists, so too it is within our journeys.

The two-way-feed of purpose, that mindset which directs our paths towards the gift of being of service to others, is a Source given birthright, and in all reality…, that fertile plot of real estate we each are gifted with from the moment of our conception.

The trunk of a tree is proof of so many things; the age of the tree, it bares the scares of many storms that the tree has prevailed over, and it provides a living testament to the sheer depth of that tree’s roots.

Trees that shed their leaves as the seasons change, are still a thing of beauty; still majestic and powerful even in the absence of their leaves. As each season comes and goes, the trees of life change and believe it or not, we change right along with them. In Autumn we marvel at the magnificent splendor of the cornucopia of color the changing of the guard provides us. In the winter months of life, we stand in silence and watch as the mid-day sun causes the ice on the barren branches to shine like diamonds. At the end of the day, we each are

provided the opportunity to admit to ourselves and then to the world, that there is indeed beauty in all stages of the journey; still something of magnificence to behold in all areas of

our evolving…, leaves or no leaves.

The branches of trees within our literal world, are exactly as the branches within our

spiritual world; they are many, they are strong, they are purposeful…, they are necessary.

Never forget that at times in life, we must prune various branches from our tree, those that

have withered and decayed, those that have outgrown the shape of our tree, and even

sometimes…, those that are too heavy and are hanging to the ground and distracting from

the overall balance of the tree.

Never forget that our fullness in life will always be contingent upon the manner of which we

care for ourselves, nurture our growth, and the amount of shade we provide to the

immediate area in which we are growing , for it is our shade that beckons the world to seek

rest and solitude beneath our branches. These branches are strong, these branches are

beautiful, these branches are many.

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