I was running and quickly realized that the town had come through a “trimmed” the tree limbs and brush back from the edge of the road. It always makes me cringe. I hate seeing the way that the limbs and branches are torn and shredded. I think about what it must feel like to the tree. I understand that it is required yet whenever I see it I feel sadness. As I ran and looked at the mutilated ends of the branches I started to think about humans.

Have you ever had someone enter your life who shred the very limbs that you hold sacred? Have you ever had someone enter your life who mutilated parts of you that it didn’t occur to you to protect? Have you ever had someone enter your life and rip parts of you off as they leave without even a second thought? Yeah, me too.

Human relationships can be like the relationship between this machine and the trees. Everyone is present, everyone is involved but oftentime one comes out wounded while the other leaves and appears to be just fine.

I kept running and at this point my gaze had softened and I was no longer peering at each branch and limb that was mutilated and destroyed. Instead, I softened my gaze and spent time in my head. Quickly, I realized that while the tree may be hurting right now, change was coming. The removal of those limbs and branches would allow more light into the rest of the tree. The removal of those limbs and branches would allow for new and different growth that may otherwise never have occurred.

I have had my limbs and branches torn from my tree, mutilated and ripped away from my core. Much like the tree, it was painful in the moment, but it brought light into my life. It brought a new beginning and fresh opportunity for growth. I remember how raw my wounds felt when it first happened and I also remembered how much light I felt from the universe.

As I ran, I spread wishes all along the road to each tree and bush that I passed and wished that they focus on the light and growth that was coming their way.