Notes from Nature: Wrapped in Sunlight
It honestly never struck me before, but it is only in the winter months—when the trees have shed their lively and lush green and stand bare-limbed beneath the sky—that the sun is able to wrap its rays around them in a full, warm embrace.
As I stood in my backyard next to my purple ash tree friend, gazing up and around at all the other trees within my sight, they all seemed to be reaching joyfully towards the sunshine, standing strong and steady, cherishing every light-drenched moment. They didn't seem to be missing their green coverlets at all, but rather were welcoming this season of being seen in a more exposed way.
I admired the full shape of the trees—branches stretching in all directions, some straight, some crooked, some thin and willowy, others stout and strong. There was not only variety in branch shapes, but also in the dormant leaf buds—formed in fall and awaiting the warmer days of spring.
Revealed was a stark beauty, hidden during seasons of growth and abundance.
Watching them, I couldn't help but think—we are sometimes like these trees.
As life goes along, we layer on leaf after leaf, carrying responsibilities, roles, tasks and to-do lists. We can't see ourselves anymore beneath it all, and can feel weighted down and overwhelmed—even by good things.
But God gives us a season to drop it all, simplify, and just be.
This can perhaps make us feel naked and exposed...but in God's loving, understanding presence, there is no need to worry. We aren't burned by a harsh, hot summer sun, but instead gently enrobed in a beautiful, weightless winter light that softly warms us.
In this light, we too can stand tall and confident, strong and still, and just receive the light and love.
Enjoy a sun-drenched reel of branches and tree-tops here.
