As I finish 2013 with one last move to a sweet redwood lined neighborhood in Sonoma County, California I ponder how to center myself like a tree that has been rooted in one spot for hundreds or thousands of years. Before you see the absolute brilliance of this inquiry, I must give credit to a friend who posed this question to me, literally, at the exact moment I needed to hear it.
Truth is that I have lived among the redwood trees for much of my adult life. Going to school at UC Santa Cruz and later living in the Santa Cruz mountain, this beautiful tree has claimed me. So when I had the opportunity to live among them again I was DELIGHTED. One way they have spoke to me is how incredibly tall they grow, up to 350 feet and the tallest trees on earth with surprisingly shallow roots.
I guess maybe that is why I resonate so much with these beauties as I struggle to plant deep roots in one place. For whatever reason, I have moved a lot as an adult and have been looking for “my home” for as long as I can remember. So far I am finding bits and pieces of what home means to me and what it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s the contrasts that illuminate what it is we truly desire.
For now I am content to take daily walks and learn more about how strong and determined redwoods are to keep growing despite the odds. I’ve seen trees that have literally a hollowed out base from a lightening strike, still standing. 3 young sister trees trimmed only to start growing again from the very wound in their bark. My teachers are EVERYWHERE, especially in nature. Truth is I continue to grow despite seemingly shallow roots and my head often in the clouds.
To be more like the trees, that is who I want to be.
Love and Miracles from The Blissin Gypsy xo