Tree of Life
On the occasion of my eightieth birthday yesterday I had one of those revelations that sometimes visits me and helps bring my life into sharper focus. In this case it had to do with friends and how I view them. Previously, I’ve seen my life as a journey across the landscape of time, picking up friends along the way and losing some too. There was always this idea of having left something behind.
But yesterday I came to a new understanding as I looked out at a group of friends and family who came to help me celebrate. My life ceased to be linear. Instead, I thought of the cross section of a tree with its multitude of rings and there was me at the center, a tiny little dot, with the old wood of longtime friends and family surrounding me, along with the new wood of new friends and family. And nothing was really gone in the sense of having been left behind. Rather I was carrying everything I’ve ever done and seen with me. The story of my life, me, was right there in the wood and the rings.
I have no idea how much time I have left on this earth. None of us do. Obviously, there will come a time when the sap will cease to flow. Until then, however, I hope my rings continue to grow, year after year. And I appreciate everyone with whom I’ve come in contact and everyone who has chosen to share part of their life with me in whatever fashion they chose to share it. You’re part of my tree, I’m part of yours, and we are all part of the tree of life. And it is what we make it.