Old Willow

             I love visiting my dads house. Its one of my favorite things to do. I only live 10 miles from him so that's a bonus too. Its not just that I love my dad and my brother and his family, and its not just because they feed me whenever I go out there (well not totally the reason) But there is something about going to the house that you grew up in that makes you feel like a kid again. The memories are still there and I get joy out of knowing that my brothers children (4 now...my sister in law just gave birth to my nephew Austin a few weeks back.)  are now enjoying many of the things that I enjoyed when I was growing up. The country roads, the swamp, the deer, and the many other blessings that come from growing up in the country.

             I was visiting the other day, when I noticed the old willow that has been there ever since my dad planted it. I was only a small child and I remember seeing this tree in many pictures of us kids, standing as stout as a tree can. We would do our best to abuse this tree, climbing it, swinging on its dangling branches, shooting BBs in it...you name it we probably did it to this tree, and yet it still stands tall today. (Thank God willows are hearty and durable)

            It reminded me a lot of human life. It now has the blemishes of being old, the knots that once made it strong from the inside are now showing themselves through the old bark and it droops a little more than it used to. :) (I told you...a lot like human life)
To me...There is nothing better than a big old tree. To see the massiveness of a extremely large tree makes me think of the many decades that it has endured to make it thus far in life. I think the same thing when I see elderly persons. When I see wrinkles and blemishes on the elderly, I think of the many years they have also endured. I think of the many fascinating things that they must have seen in their lifetime. A lot like the old willow. It has saw many things and it still has more to see. The only thing that can destroy it is man and mother nature. One thing on my bucket list is to see the redwood trees. They fascinate me. Once you understand what it has went through during its lifetime...you have a higher appreciation for them. And once you have the appreciation for them its hard to imagine your life without them. I for one, cant imagine my life with out the Old Willow.

 I hope you have an "Old Willow" in your life.