What Weighs You Down?

Last week, the New York tri-state area was battered by Hurricane Sandy – a “super storm” that developed when the hurricane collided with a Nor’easter. The fortunate ones among us only lost power. Some families lost their entire homes to flooding or fire. Big, old oak trees were ripped from the ground, down to their roots. Some looked like they snapped like matchsticks. It was a true disaster and the recovery has been slow.

 

With each thunderous gust of Sandy’s winds, I peeked out into the dark night to check on the little dogwood we affectionately refer to as “Grumsie’s Tree”. It was planted a little more than one year ago in memory of my mother and father.  I was concerned that it might snap, as so many of the larger trees did.  After the worst of the winds had subsided, I was heartened to see that the little tree - that is for me a symbol of strength and love – was still standing strong.

 

Yesterday, another Nor’easter hit – this time bringing with it rain, sleet and high winds, followed by snow. Our house and yard are blanketed by several inches of very wet snow.

This morning I was the one  to fire up the snow blower to clear the driveway so that Ted could get himself, and the kids, to school on time. I fired up the machine for the long meander down the drive.  On one of the last passes up the driveway, I caught a glimpse of the Dogwood. This time, the tree was heavily weighted by the pressure of very wet snow. Its little branches, that still have a few leaves left, were hanging down, almost to the ground.

I parked the snow blower and trudged through the surprisingly deep snow to the tree in the middle of the yard, and began to shake the snow from each of the limbs. I was worried, of course, that the limbs may snap. As I shook each little limb, and the snow fell to the ground, the limb rose up, as if it was being pulled, upward. With each limb, I was amazed–it seemed like there was a force that was pulling each limb skyward, and with the release of each clump of snow, the tree sprung naturally toward the sky – stretching up tall and strong, to the place it was intended to be.

 

It made me think about how we respond when we shake off the heavy burdens, or remove the obstacles – from our hearts, our minds, our spirits.

What storms in life weigh us down?

How would life be different if you woke up tomorrow morning and the heavy burdens that weigh your spirit down, were lifted? What would your life look like?

What would you have the freedom to do?
 

 "Don’t wait for something big to occur. Start where you are, with what you have, and that will always lead you into something greater." - Mary Manin Morrissey

Eyes Turned Skyward Personal and Executive Coaching
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(917)846-7784