So, we went outside to work on the yard, and the hen house; to put things in order for the change of seasons. After a while, I sat down to rest, and my eyes fell upon the Willow Tree that graces our backyard. It has grown tremendously this year. My daughter-in-law commented a few weeks ago, "What's with the willow tree this year, Mom? Is it on steroids?!? It got HUGE!" And so it did! As I look now, the branches actually sweep the ground, creating secret hiding places.
A long forgotten memory begins to surface, of a willow tree from my childhood. Not in our own yard, but somewhere that we visited occasionally. I don't even recall the people, just the Willow Tree. They had one much like this; and I was so drawn to it. Us kids would spend the whole afternoon there, hiding under her limbs, dreaming about our grown-up lives.
One thing I knew for sure--I wanted a weeping willow for my own yard some day. I wanted my children to find their own hiding place.
And here she is. The week after we bought this house, about 8-1/2 years ago, the kids convinced Dad they needed a tree fort. He agreed. So they spend an entire weekend building it, and hanging out in it. It even had a "Firemen's Pole" to slide down for exiting in a hurry!
Needless to say, it was immediately the best place in the neighborhood of our tiny village--even though it was just built with scraps of wood. But we never again lacked for company! At any given time, there were 7-8 kids out there! Oh- and how could I forget the tire swing that hung from her branches? It swung out over a tiny pool of water from the creek back there. So we always had a great supply of toads and frogs, and muddy shoes and socks!
It made me remember all of my own years of tree climbing. I was the only one of us 5 kids who could ever get to the top of our big maple tree. Drove my Mom nuts-she was scared of heights. But I was ever the tomboy...I loved being up there, high above everyone, higher than our house. I loved the feeling of climbing; reaching each new summit. Just one more branch. One more perfect place to sit and stare out at the world, and dream...But alas, time marches on. Our kids are grown and gone. And Willow, as she grew, stretched and yawned,and so, slowly, over the years, the tree fort came apart. Some of the boards still remain; a badge of honor for the courage she had, to bear the weight of the bodies and souls, and memories of all the children who loved her.
Sometimes the wind picks up, and her Spirit is lifted, as her "hair" blows in the wind; and that sensation arises in your soul, of flying down a big hill on your bike, hair blowing out behind you--free for a moment, as the adrenaline kicks in.
And today, with a gentle breeze, the finger-like tendrils of her boughs brush the ground, creating little rooms, secret hiding places for dreams to be born; awaiting you to hide beneath her wings, as if for the Lord, creating a silent, and simple Sanctuary.
