A Lone Pine Tree and Human Existence
Hello, dear friend, and a warm welcome to August ~
I often prescribe micro-doses of self-care to clients in the form of walking outside to take a breath of fresh air. If a walk is in order, go for it; if stepping outside for a few cycles of breath is what’s available, welcome this equally.
I was blessed to go with my daughter to the upper peninsula of Michigan last weekend for a paddle board yoga retreat, hosted by my friend and fellow female entrepreneur, Misty Marcum Rolfs.
The weekend was full of magical moments. My daughter and I concluded our getaway with a sunset tour of Pictured Rocks. Of all the magnificence I took in, one thing took my breath away: the lone white pine tree atop Chapel Rock. The tree, approximately 250 years old, survives by a system of roots that reach, rope-like, to the main bluff where it accesses life-sustaining nutrients and water.
Its precarious and stunning survival is beautiful to behold.
Kind of like us humans.
No one moves through a lifetime unscathed by trauma, adversity, or distress of some kind. And yet, like the roots of the enduring pine tree on Chapel Rock, we somehow survive. Connection to a lifeline is what enables our survival. And like those long roots, sometimes it feels like a stretch to find a lifeline.
If you’re reading this note, it is plausible that you’ve acquired lifelines to help you get to this stage of life. As complex physical and spiritual beings, our individual root systems vary. Yet what remains true is the basic need for nutrients: love, belonging, acceptance.
Sure, you can tease me: Karen went on a sunset cruise to see a national shoreline and her takeaway is a metaphor between a lone pine tree and human existence.
I can’t help myself; I’m a thinker. My attempt to capture a picture on my phone from the moving vessel may have missed the mark. Google is happy to share more pictures and details about this exquisite Michigan landmark.
In gratitude to you, to nature, and to the mysteries of survival,
Karen
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Classes Are Ongoing!
Gentle Yoga on Monday ~ Chair Yoga with Lindsay ~ Gentle Yoga with Karen
