Outside our window is an old apple tree. I have a fondness for this majestic abstract piece of nature. She even has a name, Medusa. Her limbs and branches are bent, twisted, broken and quirky. She’s weathered and worn. She displays growths and scars. Layers of bark peeling, crumbling and falling to the ground. My husband keeps telling me to cut the old tree down. I refuse. Instead, I remove the brush growing around her base. I offer her space to flourish.
You see, Medusa, has two sides. From the window, she looks tired. On the other side, she is thriving. Her branches reach for the sun and sprawl towards the ground. She is solid at the core and deeply rooted. Come spring, she begins to bloom and goes through the motions of the seasons. Playing her part. Being helpful to everything around her, she is still productive. Offering oxygen, nectar, shade and protection. Although, her days have passed to bare fruit, she is still very much alive.
She has weathered many storms, resisted strong blows. She’s withstood the rains and taken heat and the frigid cold. Despite what she’s been through, she perfectly stands.
She’s a beautiful tree.
-Jodie Patterson
Off-Grid Soul 