Bending In The Wind

I remember hearing my mother talk about weathering storms. At those times, she would always liken herself to a pine tree. She said, “When the storms come everybody wants to be an oak tree, but not me, I want to be a pine. If the wind is too strong the oak tree will break but the pine just bends with the wind.”

When we think about it, what wonderful and true advice. I live in an area where we’ve had a lot of vicious storms lately. The winds have uprooted numerous trees. Of all the trees that have fallen or broken, I’ve only seen one evergreen, the rest have been oak.

We think of the oak as majestic and strong; is branches reaching far and wide. It’s likeness is often featured on book covers, magazines, and greeting cards to name a few. We use the branches of the oak to secure swings for children and to support a treehouse as well. I do believe it’s the sturdiest of all.

The pine is frequently used to grace covers only during the winter holidays. It’s branches are stunning when covered with snow or ice. But when it comes to resilience I believe my mother had a point. I recall seeing footage of hurricane force winds tearing through towns. And when I think about it, the pines and palm trees are always bending with the wind.

In times when I need strength and a firm footing, I would like to be like the oak. But when the gale-force winds are blowing, like my mother, I want to be a pine tree. You see, if the wind is too strong the oak tree will break but the pine just bends with the wind.

As always, I hope my thoughts encourage you.

Ciao!

Savannah J. providing a place of tranquility away from the stress of life.

http://www.thesavannahjpublications.com

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Savannah is the author of The Prey now available in eBook on Kindle http://amzn.to/1xg0pgM and on Google Play Books http://bit.ly/1q5hncz

Also look for Raising Tristan on Google Play Books http://bit.ly/1pL4GqN and on Kindle http://amzn.to/1AlHl6g

Listen up!

It seems to me, listening has become a lost art. One of the greatest annoyances I’ve found is people who cut me, or anyone else for the matter, off before we finish our sentence. Have we become so hurried as a society we no longer have time to listen to one another? I fear it to be true.

We seem to listen while formulating as response instead of paying attention to what’s being said. There are those who will “yeah-yeah” in the middle of a person’s sentence because they think they know what’s about to be said. Then we have some, as I said earlier, who will completely cut the talker off for the same reasons. The worst offender is the one who walks away because they feel the conversation doesn’t even merit their presence. I’ve learned in each case we can be 100% wrong.

Active listening is a virtue it would behove each of us to adopt. It takes practice because it’s easier to just interject. But I promise if we as a people take the time to quiet our minds and hear what’s being said, this world would be a better place. Thanks for listening!

Ciao!

Savannah J. providing a place of tranquility away from the stress of life.

http://www.thesavannahjpublications.com

Follow Savannah on Twitter http://bit.ly/1tBBC6o

on Google Plus http://bit.ly/1pnq9sP

and on Facebook http://on.fb.me/10p1o32

Savannah is the author of The Prey now available in eBook on Kindle http://amzn.to/1xg0pgM and on Google Play Books http://bit.ly/1q5hncz

Also look for Raising Tristan on Google Play Books http://bit.ly/1pL4GqN and on Kindle http://amzn.to/1AlHl6g