This is,so beautiful and poetic and thought provoking! I am looking forward to reading about this in more detail in your book next month when I get it (🤞🏻) for my birthday!
My one tree analogy is around the cherry tree and the ephemeral and fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms 🌸 (one of my fave times of year! Where I live, in Vancouver 🇨🇦) we are lucky enough to have a lot of cherry trees (so many we have an annual cherry blossom (Sakura) festival.
But I love this idea of the winter tree being pared back to our real, authentic selves that we rarely show others. So powerful! I think in some ways I'm in my winter tree phase, but in others I'm still clinging onto the leaves and blossoms!
HI Caitlin! First of all, I love that my book might be a birthday gift. That’s an honor in itself. 🙏🏻 (by the way ....my book does not have this poem nor any poems - it's written more like my other essays here in its writing style... just to be clear...but I think you already know that :) )
And cherry blossoms are such a perfect contrast.....fleeting, delicate, crowd-pleasing… and then poof. I think there’s something powerful in knowing we can hold both......our soft, blooming selves and our bare, honest shape. Winter tree one day, cherry blossom the next. You get it. 🌸🌲
What strikes me most here is how often we confuse beauty with what’s temporary — the blossoms, the shade, the glitter of what others can see. But the real beauty is always in what remains when all of that falls away.
I think of resilience this way: not as a performance, but as a structure. The bare branches, the knots, the scars — they tell the story of what we’ve endured and what still holds us up.
And maybe the gift of our “winter seasons” is this: they strip away what was never essential and remind us that strength doesn’t need decoration to be worthy.
Grateful for this reminder that there is dignity in our scars, and beauty in the honest shape of our survival.
Love this so much. I was just talking with a friend who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer two months ago, and she said something very similar to me about what she's gone through: she called it a "transformation and re-orientation about what's important."
I've been through several 'winters' in my lifetime. Each time I seem to understand things a little better. I truly believe that we walk around in the 'shell' our Maker provided us with. The soul inside is what makes us who we are. The phrase "never judge a book by its cover" rings true. By judging someone's 'outside' without bothering to investigate their 'inside', one can miss so much. Whether it be a recent acquaintance, a possible partner, an employer or a random person on the street or in a store...basing an opinion on the 'shell' is simply not fair in any way. I'm 77 and truly thankful for those who know me 'inside'. Let your inner beauty shine!! Someone will notice and appreciate it.
Kathy - What you wrote is so rich with wisdom. It’s true... what we carry inside is so often overlooked in a world that’s trained to quickly swipe or judge. Thank you for reminding us that it’s the soul that holds the real story. I’m so grateful you shared a glimpse of yours here... your 77 winters of insight. xo
There's an inherent beauty in the simplicity, the strength, the resilience and the scars that record the life experience. Each unique characteristic speaks for itself, each survival effort or downturn easily dicernable with the naked eye, the fallen branch, even the buds of spring. There's no pretence, love me as I am, always, as I stand, creaking in the winds of time.
This is,so beautiful and poetic and thought provoking! I am looking forward to reading about this in more detail in your book next month when I get it (🤞🏻) for my birthday!
My one tree analogy is around the cherry tree and the ephemeral and fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms 🌸 (one of my fave times of year! Where I live, in Vancouver 🇨🇦) we are lucky enough to have a lot of cherry trees (so many we have an annual cherry blossom (Sakura) festival.
But I love this idea of the winter tree being pared back to our real, authentic selves that we rarely show others. So powerful! I think in some ways I'm in my winter tree phase, but in others I'm still clinging onto the leaves and blossoms!
HI Caitlin! First of all, I love that my book might be a birthday gift. That’s an honor in itself. 🙏🏻 (by the way ....my book does not have this poem nor any poems - it's written more like my other essays here in its writing style... just to be clear...but I think you already know that :) )
And cherry blossoms are such a perfect contrast.....fleeting, delicate, crowd-pleasing… and then poof. I think there’s something powerful in knowing we can hold both......our soft, blooming selves and our bare, honest shape. Winter tree one day, cherry blossom the next. You get it. 🌸🌲
Oh yes, I know the poem isn't in the book - just looking forward more of this theme 😊
Wow.. the nakedness of truth and vulnerability- our purity 🙂🙏🏼🌟
Chris.... Yes… that nakedness can be so uncomfortable, but also weirdly clarifying. Thank you for feeling that with me.🙏🏼
Still standing, but no longer twirling. Just me now.
Hi Sherle! Sometimes that’s the real triumph. Just being you - as you are. Thank you for sharing that!
😘💥
What strikes me most here is how often we confuse beauty with what’s temporary — the blossoms, the shade, the glitter of what others can see. But the real beauty is always in what remains when all of that falls away.
I think of resilience this way: not as a performance, but as a structure. The bare branches, the knots, the scars — they tell the story of what we’ve endured and what still holds us up.
And maybe the gift of our “winter seasons” is this: they strip away what was never essential and remind us that strength doesn’t need decoration to be worthy.
Grateful for this reminder that there is dignity in our scars, and beauty in the honest shape of our survival.
Love this so much. I was just talking with a friend who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer two months ago, and she said something very similar to me about what she's gone through: she called it a "transformation and re-orientation about what's important."
So beautiful. I needed to read this. Absorb this. Live rooted like this. Thank you
I know just the friend to share this with. Thank you.
Happy this inspired ... and love it when people pass the positivity forward...!
Divine. You just spoke directly to me. I've been looking at these exact fallen leaves while I'm the force behind them. ♥️.
Gemma - happy this resonated... and I love how you described where you're at! Beautiful! ♥️
I've been through several 'winters' in my lifetime. Each time I seem to understand things a little better. I truly believe that we walk around in the 'shell' our Maker provided us with. The soul inside is what makes us who we are. The phrase "never judge a book by its cover" rings true. By judging someone's 'outside' without bothering to investigate their 'inside', one can miss so much. Whether it be a recent acquaintance, a possible partner, an employer or a random person on the street or in a store...basing an opinion on the 'shell' is simply not fair in any way. I'm 77 and truly thankful for those who know me 'inside'. Let your inner beauty shine!! Someone will notice and appreciate it.
Kathy - What you wrote is so rich with wisdom. It’s true... what we carry inside is so often overlooked in a world that’s trained to quickly swipe or judge. Thank you for reminding us that it’s the soul that holds the real story. I’m so grateful you shared a glimpse of yours here... your 77 winters of insight. xo
There's an inherent beauty in the simplicity, the strength, the resilience and the scars that record the life experience. Each unique characteristic speaks for itself, each survival effort or downturn easily dicernable with the naked eye, the fallen branch, even the buds of spring. There's no pretence, love me as I am, always, as I stand, creaking in the winds of time.
Hi Don! Yesss I agree with all your share here! Beautifully expressed! Thank you for meeting the piece with that kind of touching response!