Living and Dying

For many years I’ve noticed this beautiful oak tree that is both living and dying at the edge of China Camp along the Bay.

When I see it from a distance at certain times of the year, I feel sad that such a majestic tree seems to be in distress.

Today I walked up close and saw something that just blew my mind. There are tons of tiny little leaves, soon-to-be new branches growing straight out of the trunk.

This tree is living so hard that new life is popping out of her trunk all over the place. Though more than half her branches are dried out, brittle, and bare, everything else is that is not dead or dying is full of new growth.

In this moment of wonder, I got a distressing phone call about some mistakes I had unknowingly made that caused some problems for a client. I just felt crushed that my efforts to help I had possibly made things worse.

My heart was so open that I cried and hugged the tree. It was sinking into my being that I am living and dying, helping and hurting, succeeding and failing, laughing and crying. All of it is so alive, so full-on, and so real. All I can do is apologize and move on, fix what broke and move on, say thank you or your welcome, and keep going.

I’m so inspired by those tiny oak leaves boldly growing themselves into big, beautiful branches.