30 Jul Grandmother Willow

The ancient and wise Grandmother Willow, a legendary oracle beckoned, “Come to me, dear child, and tell me what is the matter. Come now, go on…”

I snuggled into her roots as a child would its mother’s lap. “I am hurting,” I replied. “My body has been holding too much pain and I can’t seem to let it go.”

“Come now, Child. Hug me,” she instructed. I stretched my arms wide around her trunk—my cheek upon her bark.

She and I seemed to weep in unison as her branches danced upon the wind. I kept my eyes closed as I could feel the pain leaving my body and being replaced with a warm glow.

Feeling restored from the transference, I pulled away to find her—leaves once vibrant and green turned to autumn and descending to the ground.

“Oh, Great Grandmother, what have I done,” I cried out in despair. “Have I killed you?”

Smiling a tired smile, she simply replied, “Oh no. Hush now, Child. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to harvest…”

As she continued, I found myself reciting Ecclesiastes 3 with her…until at last, the final leaf fell and Grandmother Willow closed her tired eyes…