I was watching a show about Yosemite National Park and was so moved by the infinite wisdom of nature. A particular type of pine tree in the forest has pine cones that grow at the very tops of the trees. These pine cones stay up there for decades - until they are activated by heat. That's right heat... heat, like from a forest fire. Can you believe that! Nature has a back up plan for forest fires! So when a forest fire sweeps through a forest of these trees, the heat activates the pine cones and the seeds fall to the ground.
In 1988, a massive fire destroyed a large part of the Yosemite forest - burning everything in its path. It seemed like total destruction. The trees were gone, the ground was covered with a thick layer of ash. It looked as if the area was completely dead... and that nothing new could ever grow through that thick layer of ash. However, 18 years later there has been quite a transformation. There is a covering of small pine trees that sprouted up through the ashes. It was amazing to see this new life that sprang up from such destruction.
This touched me deeply. I connected very deeply with this message of rebirth and renewal after destruction - it was perfect timing for this reminder. I have been struggling for many years with a chronic degenerative condition in my spine that causes chronic pain - sometimes severe and debilitating pain. In fact, I have had a flare up of this painful condition over the past few weeks.
Most of the time I roll through these painful episodes with more grace, acceptance, and optimism. This time, however, I admit I have been a little less graceful and more frustrated and angry. I was feeling stuck and it was impacting my creativity and my ability to work productively. I have a lot of exciting things going on in my life and this flare up felt like an aggravating (and quite painful) nuisance. In times like this it takes a lot of effort and work to maintain my usual positive outlook and my positive attitude.
Then, a small miracle happened - I saw the show on the 1988 fire in Yosemite. Ahhh... a feeling of peace washed over me like a warm comfortable blanket. I felt a huge shift inside. I could feel the creative block melt away.
You see there is infinite wisdom in nature. For every natural disaster there comes new life that sprouts up - even from the most destructive events. New life sprouts up from the barren ashes of a massive forest fire. There are cycles in nature - growth, fire, destruction, growth, etc. It is the way of nature.
And it is for me, each cycle of pain brings new growth for me. New wisdom. Greater appreciation for life. And, I am grateful!
I was watching a show about Yosemite National Park and was so moved by the infinite wisdom of nature. A particular type of pine tree in the forest has pine cones that grow at the very tops of the trees. These pine cones stay up there for decades - until they are activated by heat. That's right heat... heat, like from a forest fire. Can you believe that! Nature has a back up plan for forest fires! So when a forest fire sweeps through a forest of these trees, the heat activates the pine cones and the seeds fall to the ground.
In 1988, a massive fire destroyed a large part of the Yosemite forest - burning everything in its path. It seemed like total destruction. The trees were gone, the ground was covered with a thick layer of ash. It looked as if the area was completely dead... and that nothing new could ever grow through that thick layer of ash. However, 18 years later there has been quite a transformation. There is a covering of small pine trees that sprouted up through the ashes. It was amazing to see this new life that sprang up from such destruction.
This touched me deeply. I connected very deeply with this message of rebirth and renewal after destruction - it was perfect timing for this reminder. I have been struggling for many years with a chronic degenerative condition in my spine that causes chronic pain - sometimes severe and debilitating pain. In fact, I have had a flare up of this painful condition over the past few weeks.
Most of the time I roll through these painful episodes with more grace, acceptance, and optimism. This time, however, I admit I have been a little less graceful and more frustrated and angry. I was feeling stuck and it was impacting my creativity and my ability to work productively. I have a lot of exciting things going on in my life and this flare up felt like an aggravating (and quite painful) nuisance. In times like this it takes a lot of effort and work to maintain my usual positive outlook and my positive attitude.
Then, a small miracle happened - I saw the show on the 1988 fire in Yosemite. Ahhh... a feeling of peace washed over me like a warm comfortable blanket. I felt a huge shift inside. I could feel the creative block melt away.
You see there is infinite wisdom in nature. For every natural disaster there comes new life that sprouts up - even from the most destructive events. New life sprouts up from the barren ashes of a massive forest fire. There are cycles in nature - growth, fire, destruction, growth, etc. It is the way of nature.
And it is for me, each cycle of pain brings new growth for me. New wisdom. Greater appreciation for life. And, I am grateful!