There is something beautiful about an aging soul;
it knows to embrace the universe with open arms.
It is like a mighty Oak that has seen many tired winters;
still, it remembers a first snow.
The reaching arms have borne the weight of many storms;
they have endured the heartbreak of broken branches.
Those arms have cradled endless falling leaves;
so too, they have let the leaves scatter where they will.
In time, the leaves return to the circle of the aged;
the circle is where it all began.
There is laughter in the branches and tears in the wood;
the tree of age is wise with many things.
It remembers summers in the moonlight when it was full and green;
it remembers the dance of children beneath its splendid boughs.
The tree reaches toward eternity;
its roots stay close to those footprints of long-ago dancers.
The windswept leaves of yesterday form a circle;
it is a circle of love, bound with everlasting hope.
The tree knows only that the breath of spring awaits;
deep within the soul, an endless summer blooms.
Revelation 21: 5: “Behold, I make all things new.”
Psalm 1:3: He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”
Hello from Vancouver, Canada. A lovely reflection of poetry to begin my day. Thank you!
Hello to you as well! I hope all is well in your corner of the world. 🙂
All is well!!! Have a wonderful weekend.
Sometimes I feel like that old tree: remembering both the struggles and the joys of time gone by.
“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God, I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.” Psalm 52.8
Yes! With God, we are ‘forever green’!
Linda , this is such beautiful, beautiful poetry!! I could FEEL the line, “There is laughter in the branches and tears in the wood.” Thank you, from this old lady, for saying what I feel so often.
Life is a mix of so many things, is it not? The tears certainly flow at times and for good reason! But, as you expressed so well in your last post, the river of life is deep and wide and full of many beautiful things; as long as we trust God, all is well.
That was just beautiful, Linda! Thank you!
We face so many storms in life, and yet, with faith, we keep reaching, knowing our roots are grounded in God’s love. The tree of life grows more beautiful with time, the bare places filling in with the greenery of patience and endurance.
such a delightful wise poem Linda, more please 🙂
Thank you Kate! I have written a number of poems about trees…nothing ever compares to their majestic beauty. I look forward to autumn and all the leaves changing color. It always seems like a miracle to me…every fall, all this wonder, all this magic. (When I was little, Magenta was my favorite color in the crayon box. I drew lots of trees with magenta leaves! 🙂
oh what a delightful reflection Linda .. we miss those autumn miracles in these temperate zones 🙂
You live in a place where there are miracles all the time! 🙂
absolutely, I am so blessed …. I couldn’t ask for anymore 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂
Your poem is just lovely, Linda, and I thank you for it. Reading your posts is like finding an oasis in the desert.
The times have been so very hard, with many cruel twists. No matter the burning hot sand, or sandstorms that blur our vision, we go forward in faith, trusting in God’s promises. He indeed is our refuge and our oasis!
Indeed, He is.
This is so engaging, Linda.
Blessings abound no matter what our circumstances are, or whatever age we are. Like shining stars glistening above that tree, we must look for the light at all times. With age, eyesight may grow dimmer, but, deep inside where it matters most, the spirit grows stronger.
So beautiful Linda! You have painted a portrait that values and honors the aging soul. I have a standing phone date each Friday morning with a lovely 96 year old woman from church. Your poem captures our conversations. She reflects on the past, the triumphs and trials, the joys and sorrows, and lives the present with the joy-filled knowledge that eternity with the Savior is right around the corner or as you said it , The tree knows only that the breath of spring awaits; deep within the soul, an endless summer blooms.” We have so much to glean from the aging souls in our lives.
I love that you have a standing phone call date with this lovely lady from your church. We do have much to learn from those older than ourselves; they have walked paths we have not yet walked. I know you have been blessed by your encounter with this woman. It is said that we are every age that we have ever been…and if Jesus lives within our hearts, we are ‘young at heart’ no matter what age we happen to be.
Often, the days can be tough, but if we open our hearts to hope, the angels are sure to leave us a rainbow. Today, that rainbow was ~
“Behold, I make all things new ~ Revelation 21: 5
That is one of my favorite verses, and I think of it often. You are right about the angels, and we must keep our hearts open. 🙂
Amazing Linda. Such depth conveyed. When God created the tree, He had in mind the parallels of so many things about life.
Each and every tree is a magnificent thing. I do believe that when you spend time in a forest, all of your senses are heightened. God created many beautiful things on this earth, but the trees teach us of the quietude, patience, and endurance one needs in this life.
So refreshing, Linda. God’s grip-Alan
There is so much going on in the world right now that is so very hard to deal with. Still, there is a rhythm to life; the light of Christ seems to center all of it. When you count the rings within a tree, you find the age and so much more. The wider bands are the better years when the tree has ideal growing conditions. The narrow bands reflect a drought or other hard times. The lighter parts reflect the work of spring; the darker parts, the colder seasons. Through it all, the tree does so much to provide shelter, beauty, and protect the earth. Our lives are kind of like that…we keep reaching, giving, through the droughts, through the bitter winters.(Like the trees, we must stand strong against the storms.)
Nicely put, Linda. Currently, my rings are thin.
Keeping you in my prayers, and I ask that you do the same for me. I understand completely that this is a time when the bands are stretched thin. Prayer is a medicine like no other, a tonic for the soul. God is always listening. There is no veil between our hearts and the heart of God; we are His children.
Beautiful poem, Linda. Thank you for sharing your words with us! x
Thank you! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Beautiful reflections and beautifully illustrated! Gives much to think sbout!
Thank you! God says, “I love you”, in so many ways. Nature is a great teacher and it is a blessing the Lord has bestowed upon us. Trees have always been a symbol of hope to me. They rise toward heaven, and on a winter’s night, it is as if the stars sit among the branches.
Trees seem so very wise–I always think an old tree is full of stories. Thank you for this lovely post, and beautiful photos, too.
I love that thought…that an old tree is full of stories! The world is so fast-paced; trees remind us to slow down a bit. Life unfolds season by season. There is a certain grace and beauty about that…accepting change and letting go of the things we have no control over.
💙
So beautiful, Linda. xo
Thank you! These September days have been so lovely…there is a bit of poetry wherever we look! We do have lots of leaves coming down now, and the nights are cooler. Tonight, there will be a Harvest moon…
It sounds lovely. We are still hot here.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Just lovely, Linda. Nature is a beautiful metaphor for the human journey and has wise lessons for those who pause to hear them.
Yes! We must pause and listen…so much to appreciate, so much to learn about!