My weeping willow signifies much to me every spring. Not only are 3 of my babies buried here but watching it's long dangling, barren branches come to life in the sunny, warm days of spring remind me of the winter seasons of a mother's heart.
Young mommas may find themselves full to brimming with love for little ones but all poured out flailing like long, dangling limbs in the winds of so much everyday sacrifice.
Mommas in the trenches with new everyday challenges, lots of commitments, overnight attitudes and behaviours that seem to have creeped up on their burgeoning wonders. They are grasping, intentional and yet feel lacking. At times it can be overwhelming to hold it all together.
Then mommas like myself whom feel barren like those straggly, empty branches. In the transitioning season of loss where precious memories of smiles and cuddles, house full of laughter and togetherness fade as children raised move on to new adventures, stages all their own.
All of my little and not so little branches left behind fly lonely and distraught in the winds of change. I look at all of those weeping, looking for strength faces and know that this empty vessel needs to lead them to the spring of water that never leaves or moves on without them.
Growing their roots deep into him will bring them through every trial, disappointment, heartache and "winter" that life takes them through.
Like our weeping willow, we wept. Our bare branches hung, broke, felt whipped around in the harsh, cold winds of change and yet spring is here.
Green buds and leaves abound, branches are fuller and look less lost.
They have found their places amongst each other and fly gently in warm breezes of hope and happier days.
Spring is a season of new. It's not complete.
Young mommas know that all of these everyday dying to self moments culminate in their little seeds growing and bringing new joys as tender new shoots.
Mommas with seedlings to care for, stake and prune know that the fruit is yet to come.
And those mommas whom have seen the beautiful fruit and have tasted of its sweetness? They file those precious memories away, thank God for the gifts they were given and look with hope to the future and much more fruit to come.
Winter is just one season.
It may feel harsh, unrelenting, cold and dark but it breaks way to spring. Our roots dig down deep and we find the nourishment our soul and the little souls whom we care for seek.
