Look Ma...A Picture!! The Silhouette of Trees

My first image upload, Ladies and Gentlemen!! 

A lot of people are inspired by nature. Rightfully so. Nature should evoke emotion and provide guidance in the workings of the world. I remember seeing a poster one time that read "All I need to know, I learned from an ant," and gave a detailed listing of all of the things learned from an ant (so, it's wasn't just a clever name). Teamwork, efficiency, ingenuity, conflict resolution etc. can be taught through the observation of natural systems.

I'm not sure if it occurred from so many long drives back and forth across the country or if it has always been there and I only recently discovered it. But I have an extreme fondness for trees. Green trees are beautiful, but my affinity goes beyond that. I particularly love the silhouette of a leafless tree against a darkening sky. Quite specific, eh? 

For me, this image, which I adore so much I painted floor to ceiling on my bedroom wall, holds an incredible amount of symbolism. This tree works quietly through the winter, riding out storm after storm. It is awaiting the arrival of spring so that it can explode in growth and new life. So too, am I. So too, are we all. But while it waits, it continues to provide warmth and safety to those around it. Holds firm through whatever tries to knock it. Has a thick skin yet underneath, vulnerability. All the while it cycles through change after change, and points skyward, taking its direction from a higher power. Working to do its part but ultimately surrendering to the sky. 

Someone out there is probably weirded out by what I've just described. I had an ex-boyfriend tell me it was a morbid symbol to grab hold of. The thing about symbols though, is that it doesn't matter if you understand one another's. They are individual. And where I find beauty in what some might describe as a "dead tree" another might in a ladder or a flower. Whatever it is, it represents a personal connection to something greater than yourself. It may provide you direction in relationship to self, others, the world around and, of course, a higher power. 

Symbols are nothing new, but considering what they mean is often disregarded. A Cross, a Star of David, Yin and Yang, a Compass Rose. Even superheroes are known by their symbols.