How We Choose To Stand ~ Finding Strength in our Roots and Intention in our Growth

We often think of our lives as a linear path, but perhaps we are more like trees, growing outward and upward simultaneously. Our past, our present, and our impact on others are all part of a single, living system.

When we understand how we are built, we can choose how we grow.

The Roots: Our Unmovable Foundation

The roots represent the life we are born into. They are the parts of us we cannot move, untangle, or rewrite. Our heritage, our childhood, and our early environment are buried deep in the soil of our identity.

Instead of trying to dig them up or ignore them, we must learn to recognize and understand them. When we stop fighting our roots, we can finally use the nutrients they provide to fuel how we engage with the world.

The Trunk: Strength Through the Seasons

As we transition into adulthood, we push through the surface. We become the trunk. This is our core, the part of us that weathers the cold, basks in the sun, and shakes off the rain.

Growth is cyclical: With every year that passes, we add a new ring of wisdom.

Resilience is built: Every storm we survive makes us stronger and more capable of flourishing.

The Branches: The Power of Choice

As our branches reach out, they interact with the world around us. This is where our influence begins. Our branches can pull people in for a hug, or they can push people away. Our leaves can provide a blessing of shade, or our branches can snap and cause harm.

Growth is a choice. We must decide what kind of tree we want to be:

Will we offer a resting spot for the weary?

Will we provide comfort and shade?

Or will we allow ourselves to be covered in "vines"—those negative habits or mindsets that choke out our potential?

The Trick to Flourishing

The beauty of being a living thing is that we are always evolving. If you realize today that you’ve made a choice that isn't your best, you can choose again tomorrow. The "trick" to a fulfilling life is simple but profound:

Understand your roots so you know where you came from.

Identify the vines that are hindering your growth.

Direct your energy toward spreading love and joy to everyone who steps into your shade.

Reflective Journal Prompts

The Roots: What is one part of your "unmovable foundation" (your upbringing or early environment) that you have been trying to fight or change? How might your life feel lighter if you chose to simply recognize and understand it instead?

The Trunk: Looking back at a "cold season" or a "storm" you weathered in the last few years, what is one specific way that experience added a layer of strength or wisdom to your character?

The Vines: Be honest with yourself—what is a current "vine" (a habit, a thought pattern, or a busy-ness) that is starting to choke out your ability to offer comfort or joy to others?

The Shade: Think of the people currently resting in your "branches" (family, friends, or coworkers). Are you offering them a place of resting and shade, or are your branches feeling brittle and sharp? What is one small choice you can make today to be more "hospitable"?