I have been thinking a lot about growth these days. Then on a magical weekend adventure with a bit of a chill in the air I had the pleasure of being introduced to a 120yr old Weeping Beech Tree. She was so statuesque, resilient, and undeterred. Her branches grew vertically, some horizontally then vertically again. There was commonality within her branches which made me think about how growth can sometimes be slowed, drastically re-routed, forced to adjust to changing circumstances, and then tested within heavy winds, again and again. Regardless of all the unseen obstacles, environmental changes, destruction from reckless humans, and time. She persisted! A beautiful lesson from a stately lady, a tree.

We can only grow so much on our own. Our growth is enhanced and informed daily by everything and everyone that we come in contact with along our journey. There are many paths that each of us as individuals must travel and there is so much to learn along the way if of course we remain open to all of the teachings in front of us. Sure I am strong and resilient like that tree, I have overcome countless obstacles and changes, but I didn’t get here alone. Along the way I gathered all of the morsels and tidbits of others journeys, grabbed onto their hands reaching out, basked in their shared light, and grew new sprouts each time. Our paths our varied, some are straighter then others and some may be a bit curvy. There are other paths that wind so tightly that at times you can’t see ahead until you come around the next bend with one foot in front of the other to once again find cumulus clouds and blue skies awaiting your arrival.

I recently spoke to a dear friend about the topic of growing and aging. As children the term that is used is growing pains. Then as adults it’s called a mid-life crisis or quarter life crisis if you don’t have life all figured out. Will we ever have life all figured out? A dear friend of mine was still growing and learning at the age of 95, still evolving. I think that these terms should be re-coined as growing pains as well or how about just new growth. If we are doing life right then we are constantly growing, evolving. Right? If we are striving to be the best version of ourselves that we can be then we will not only develop new growth, we will also help to fertilize and facilitate that same growth for others, for our communities, all of society, and the world as a whole. I water you, and you water me. I share my light, and absorb some of yours. Together we grow! Thank you everyone for your light that I have come in contact with and connected with this month alone! Some new branches are forming already. ~Peace, 💜 Deana J. Tavares/jummyjeenz

Alone I am but one tree, but together we are a forest ~jummyjeenz