Here in the mountains on the east side of the Continental Divide, the winds howl for months on end, typically from mid-October through sometime in April. Sometimes the wind is blowing at 15-20 mph and other times it is gusting above 50mph making it hard to stand in one place.
As I watch the trees, they are constantly being pushed and shaken. Their moments of peace are rare. They bend to the east with each gust and then rise up again to their full height with each break. As I watch them and notice their resilience, I realize that there are some clear similarities with my inner world and perhaps yours as well.
While on the outside our lives may look quite normal, on the inside the winds are often howling with tasks that must be done, concerns for loved ones, deep questioning of ourselves and so many other cares. They buffet us and barely give us a moments rest. Yet I want to be like the trees that grow here in the mountains. They don’t ask for the wind to stop or bemoan the lack of peaceful days. They are strongly grounded and have grown accustomed to the wind. Though their branches may flail and sometimes even break, their core is at peace and the gentle swaying of their trunks only seems to add to that peace. They know the winds will come and go, while they stay firmly planted, ever growing, ever becoming.