Monday 25 April 2011

Lessons From A Cherry Tree



From the bedroom window I can see petals falling. With every shifting breeze, a gentle shower of shell-pink confetti rains down. How gracefully the flowering cherry tree relinquishes her spring finery, a little at a time, like the slow ebbing of a tide.

No regret, no clinging on to past glory. No resentment, no cutting-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face wholesale dumping. Just a gentle shedding, releasing what no longer serves easily, willingly, naturally, open-heartedly.

I know that only change is constant, yet in my own life how often do I cling to what is outmoded because it's familiar? How often do I hang on to possessions I no longer need 'because it may come in useful one day', or because Great Aunt Mabel gave it to me and I feel guilty for not actually wanting it?

Someone once told me that a leaf only falls in the autumn when the bud of next year's leaf has formed below, ready to unfurl in the spring when conditions are right.

Am I preventing new growth in my life by clinging onto the past?

May I be like the cherry tree. Able to sense the shifts and changes in my life and move on without regret.

5 comments:

Miss Robyn said...

you know, you could make a flower essence from the cherry tree blossom.. and take all these attributes into your own energy system :)
a brilliant post!

Reya Mellicker said...

I'm thinking the same kinds of thoughts these days. Love being on a wavelength with you!

Griffin said...

Well hanging on to things in your life is a Cancerian trait... even Scorpios have that too - something to do with those beeg claws.

But as 'efficient' as the release of those blossoms is and as clever, it's also a shame because they are so beautiful.

The trick is to know what to let go of and what to keep. That's tough to judge, but worth it.

The Awakened Heart said...

Ah the wonderful cherry blossom - one of my spring favourites. Enjoy it's graceful surrender and allow it to seem into your own bones.

Anonymous said...

Oh what beautiful prose and image. Wonderful lessons and thoughts to ponder. Thank you for sharing.