Go Deep

There are a lot more lessons to take from the trees in my backyard.

I particularly remember Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, and the destruction they caused. All over the city, huge trees had been uprooted likes weeds in a flowerbed. Some had fallen over and destroyed cars, while others fell onto houses, destroying possessions and lives. It boggled my mind how wind was able to uproot hundred year old trees, possibly planted before the houses were even constructed. But unlike those trees, the ones in my backyard stood firm. They did lose a couple branches and some leaves, but after the storm passed, they remained strong. Why? Because they had deep roots. Whoever took the time to plant those trees in my backyard, understood the importance of digging a deep hole for them to go in. This way, as they grow, the roots would spread wide and deeper, ensuring that they had a solid foundation on which to stand.

When a storm or hurricane passes through, it may rock the tree. Some leaves may be lost and branches may break, but the foundation remains strong because it was planted deep.

My message to you this morning is – “Go Deep.”

Whatever your conviction or beliefs may be, stand deeply in them. Don’t allow yourself to be rocked by the storms of life. Like everything else, they will pass. Yes, you might lose some leaves called pride, greed or selfishness, but they may have been holding you down. You may even lose some branches called family and friends, but the truth is they should have been gone a long time ago. We’ll just call it pruning. Hurricane “Lost My Job,” “Bankruptcy,” “Depression,” “Guilt,” “Sickness” and “Unfaithfulness” are just storms created to test how deep your roots are.

Stand firmly behind your beliefs. Plant yourself on a solid foundation. This way when the storms come and try to knock you down, like the trees in my backyard, you’ll stand strong because you know your roots, “Go Deep.”

-Simone