Pruning Our Life's Journey

I was listening to a podcast today by one of my favorite bloggers when she said something that resonated so clearly with me I had an Oprah "Ah-ha" moment. This particular wise woman was speaking of motherhood but used the metaphor of pruning a tree in reference to the growth that occurs during life's more difficult times. I thought about the lilac bush in my backyard and how it almost brought tears to my eyes when my Dad trimmed it (or butchered as I thought at the time) back in the summer we moved into our house. It looked so bare, so exposed as though I would never again see or smell a beautiful purple bloom transcend from its branches as one of the first promises of Spring. My Dad reassured me that the bush was in a transition phase and each year would bring fuller, more bountiful growth to the bush that was a huge selling point for the house. So I trusted him, and waited for Spring.

Some of the struggles in my life took me to places of raw vulnerability similar to that of a freshly pruned tree. In these dark places it is so difficult to see the beauty on the other side, the gift that having the courage and strength to strip yourself down to the core branches brings. If we allow ourselves the opportunity for growth, the bare, naked limbs can and will produce an abundance of green leaves and fresh lilac blossoms.

My Dad was right; the following Spring the lilacs bloomed and each year I sit in great anticipation of the fresh and simple beauty the bush brings. Sadly, this year, the lilacs did not bloom. The cold, frigid weather of early Spring stunted the first blossoms growth. As I reflect back on one of the most arduous transitions in my life, I look forward to the promises and growth of the upcoming seasons leading once again to the gift of lilacs given by Spring.