The trees teach us

I sat in the massage room with my therapist, Melanie. She studies me as we talked. 

“What are we working on today, Ma’am?”

“You know, back, neck…the usual stress areas.”

“How’s your hands?”

“My hands?”

Melanie smiled sweetly. “Yes, you have clenched fists today. Our hands hold emotions, grief, and they tell a story.”

I started to tear up as I shared my loss of Zorro.

She walked across the room to grab tissues and handed them to me.

I wasn’t going to tell her, because I just needed a moment without thinking about my beloved husky boy. But when one is gifted in healing, there’s no hiding.

“I’m sorry,” she replied, as I shared my loss.

Her eyes welled with compassion and she said, “Let’s work on your hands first and release what needs to be released. Sometimes when I work a particular area like this, emotions might surface during the treatment. Other times, emotions arise out of nowhere in the days that follow a massage… you might feel like crying and don’t know why. Regardless, give your self grace in the coming days.”

I fought back more tears.

“Dawna, what does the beauty of this fall season say to you?”

I sighed in sadness, “I dread fall because I know snow and cold follows.”

“But you’re missing so much beauty in the moment. The changing leaves, the crisp air and the lesson from trees.”

“Trees?”

“Yes, the trees teach us something…..they teach us how to let go.”

***

I’ve thought more about Ms. Melanie’s words. The trees do teach us.

They show us how to receive from God whatever the season; blossoming with hope in spring, full of green abundance in summer, blazing with color in fall readying to let go, and barren branches of acceptance in the winter.

Tress stand rooted, knowing that God will provide all their needs in this very moment. Regardless of bountiful times or barrenness, their arms remain uplifted in worship, all year long.

Yes, this season, I’m looking to the trees to teach me how to let go—receiving all that God has for me.

How about you? What do you need to relinquish, shed, or let go of so that you can be present in this gorgeous moment, right here, right now?

How are your hands?