Celebrating the Non-linear Nature of Growth

Early Spring is such an interesting and beautiful time. In some places right now, I’m greeted with riots of color and burst of new life. In others, bare tree limbs and dormant grass give the impression that it’s still winter. Today, when I was walking at one of my favorite parks, I spied a flowering tree that stopped me in my tracks. Not just any tree, a Japanese cherry. Those are not common in Central Texas, where I live, as it gets incredibly hot here and they tend to prefer a more moderate climate. But there she was, standing tall, fully crowned with flowers – a glorious sign of Spring amidst the otherwise relatively grey landscape. Even the koi ponds, with their dormant lotus and lilies, looked pale in comparison to that gorgeous tree. Naturally, I was mesmerized, walking up to her as though in a trance to inhale the fragrance of those beautiful, pink blossoms up close. 

It was when I closed in that I noticed something more. Something that was to me, quite magical. The tree was not actually full of flowers. Yes, there were several showy pink blossoms, but there were also buds in various states of being, and even completely bare branches. And I was viscerally reminded that growth is not linear, and that many things can exist at once. In my own life, I have projects in various states of being. This tree reminded me that there are cycles, even within seasons, and that everything unfolds in its own time. I admit, I was rendered speechless by the potent magic and powerful lessons of the liminal spaces that tree held, all at once. And even though I spend time in nature every day, I never cease to be amazed by her lessons. If we look, the natural world is always showing us that many things can exist at the same time. The same tree can have buds, blossoms, barren limbs, leaves, and even fruits, all at once. And we are no different. Wherever we are in the processes of our lives, we are right where we are meant to be. And we are right on time.