Saturday, April 05, 2014

Holding On

There is a tree growing at the very edge of a pond right beside the highway a few miles outside of town. Maybe it is two trees, growing very closely together or one tree that somehow branched into two trunks. From the road, it's impossible to tell.
 
For years now, this tree has been leaning ever closer to the pond. Every time I have to travel that way, I make a point of checking in on the tree--are its lowest branches touching the water yet? Has it fallen in completely? How much longer can it hold on?
 
This tree speaks to me about the tenacity of life, about putting down strong roots in inhospitable and unlikely places, about holding on and hanging in there.
 
 
This was taken near the end of last winter. The pond was frozen and snow-dusted.


E is for Evergreen

6 comments:

  1. That is a wild site. It is so interesting that the pair is growing that way. When I look at it, I think that perhaps the two are holding each other up. Everyone needs someone like that in their life.

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  2. Oh, I love that take on it!

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  3. I cannot look at that picture enough. I am intrigued by the power of just hanging on in all of its forms. Thank you for this.

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    1. I've had the nagging thought to get out there and grab another shot before the chance is gone. I really can't explain exactly why it's so compelling a scene, but I definitely feel its pull.

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  4. Little Sister4/13/14, 1:07 PM

    DUDE! I check on those trees every time we drive out to the summer house. They have been like that since I used to commute to Crazy College everyday. Have almost driven into said pond several times due to my obsession with them! Glad to see they are still hanging on. Hate to think of what ominous portent it will release when they finally take the plunge.

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    1. Little Sister4/13/14, 1:08 PM

      please excuse the *DUDE, too much exposure to TMNT in the last 24 hours.

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