Seasons in the Sun

The cycle of a tree is much like that of our lives.  From it's birth and blooming in Spring, to it's green growth period in Summer, to it's mature colorful blossoms of Fall before it's dying in Winter, trees have many of the same characteristics as we do as people, and could describe the cyclical nature of relationships or friendships as well.

It's amazing to take a drive and be at some scenic overlook high above and look down on a forest of greenery in the Summer, but it's Fall when you really notice the different kinds of trees standing beside one another, each bringing their own different shapes and sizes of leaves, their vibrant color, height and the many other characteristics that makes them unique.

Conversely, people share many of the same characteristics as trees, plants and flowers...  maybe they...

- stand tall and proud, like a Sequoia
- are mighty, like a Red Wood
- are strong, like an Oak
- bend/go with the flow, like a Reed
- need much attention, like a Bonsai
- weep, like a Willow
- are dense, like Bamboo
- bloom, like a Rose
- are constant, like an Evergreen
- are shady, like a Maple
- bear fruit, like an Apple
- are flaky, like a Birch
- need a partner, like a Dogwood
- are solitary, like the Lone Pine
- are sweet, like the Sugar Maple

One of my favorite books is the Giving Tree.  It's about a boy and his favorite tree and their relationship over the life of the boy.  The tree would do anything for the boy (much like a mother would) and, over time, gives the boy fruit to eat and sell, a branch to swing on and build a house, shade from the sun and it's trunk to build a boat.  In the end, when the boy is an old man, he goes to the tree, which is now just a stump and, having nothing left to give the boy, gives him a place to sit down and rest.  The tree gave everything it had.

Depending on from whose perspective you look, it's a story of the ultimate unconditional love, albeit perhaps not a fair one and one-sided.  The boy asks too much of the tree but the tree gives and gives because it makes it happy when the boy is happy.  At it's most outward appearance, it makes the boy look selfish, taking everything from the tree, but if you look deeper, you realize that making the boy happy is all the tree wanted.  Sometimes, things have different values to different people.  Planting trees under which you don't expect to sit... the key to life... is putting forth effort into something because you want to... not because you expect some reward... which, in turn, becomes your reward. 

Winter can be depressing with no leaves on the trees and less sun, with the days shorter and darker.  Maybe it's at the darkest time in your life that you need the people around you and instead of being there for you, they leave you.  People come in an out of your life like the seasons.  Some come and go, but it's the strongest of friendships that are deeply-rooted.  Like a tree, they stand by you, provide support and comfort and grow along with you.  The cycle doesn't end in a true friendship... there's always a next year, each being a ring in the story.