Tall Pines

This is story I wrote years ago, before I was married.  I wrote this while I lived at my parents place with my son, my brother my cousin and my parents.

I have made a couple changes to make it more current.  Enjoy...  

The Tall Pines

As I waded through the knee deep snow, I made my way into the forrest.  Here, I contemplated my life as a daughter, as a sister and most importantly as a mother.  I pushed my way through trees which seemed to cling together like they were holding hands to bridge the gap between them. When I finally broke through I almost felt the need to apologize; they embraced each other so delicately, silently and perfectly.

I continued my adventure through the woods, down the snow-covered path and I heard running water.  It had been minus 10 for weeks, but moving water doesn't freeze so easily.  A small stream, no wider than my finger.  This stream leads me to believe that regardless of OUR size, when WE build-up momentum, when WE are motivated, we will not freeze, and it will be very difficult to stop us.

This notion made me smile to myself as I continued walking farther into the forrest.  I saw small pines breaking beneath the weight of the snow. Their branches bent towards the ground.  I walked a bit further and saw more small pines but the difference this time was that they were surrounded by tall pines.  Here, the small pines did not carry as much weight and although they were covered in snow, they were not bending and breaking.  The tall trees carried the burdensome load, protecting the smaller ones.  This is when I looked up towards heaven, realizing that God was with my in this walk (and all of the walks during my life) and though I could not see the sky through the trees, I knew He was trying to speak to me.  

The 'adult' pines shielded the 'children' pines from the weight of the snow, allowing enough sunlight to help them grow. The small ones will grow up tall, perhaps even taller than the ones that once protected them, and it is then that they will embrace, silently and delicately. That is when they will share the load and continue their growth together.

Sometimes as a mother I try to protect my children from the harshness of the world.  Sometimes I try to allow them to be independent, getting their much needed sunlight  and now that my oldest is wanting more independence (i.e. no longer allowing me to walk to and from school with him) I guess it is time I allow him to stick his head out through the branches.

I don't want him to grow up, I want to be his protector for his whole life, but I know that it is time for him to lead the way in his life, and to take his own path and I think this is where I need to hold his hand, (we are talking metaphorically here) and guide him towards the sunlight.  

For the pines, this means growing tall and reaching for heaven.

For us it means we need teach them in the way to go, show them and lead them, with a soft, silent and delicate hand, and pray they will follow, all the way to heaven.