When we first moved into this house in 1972, I wanted to plant a Ginkgo tree like those that grew on some of the lawns at UCLA. These tall stately trees had the most unusual leaf, shaped somewhat like a fan. I saw them one summer and fell in love with their elegant stature.
The spirit of the the little tree growing on the side of our front yard is strong. It lived on even after some careless driver, turned and drove over the curb, knocking over the Ginkgo, breaking it of at the base of its trunk, just a few inches from the roots in the ground. From the tire marks of the lawn, we could see that the car stopped just a foot from our house.
Instead of killing the tree, the shock of the injury jolted it into a new life, a rebirth of its ancient essence, which not only allowed it to live on, but to grow new branches and continue its journey upward.
Today, the Ginkgo has bright new green leaves and the small Lavender tree nearby is blooming with small clusters of its fragrant blossoms. Seeing this little bit of loveliness, heartened my spirits. And, I started to walk with a little more energy, just a little further. Onward, onward.
Posted by Judi at May 11, 2008 4:25 PM | TrackBack