Thursday, July 19, 2012

Palm Trees on my Mind

Palm in Turtle Bay, Tequesta, Florida
I love palm trees. Just being in an area where the palm trees grow makes me happy.

One morning last week, near the end of our vacation, Chris and I walked through the neighborhood where we were staying and happened upon a palm tree standing tall with gathering storm clouds behind it. It seemed defiant in its anthropomorphic attitude.

Palms are defiant by nature. They stand against the worst weather that hurricanes can throw at them and, for the most part, remain standing when the storm has passed. They may not be unscathed and have lost some fonds--but they remain tall in the storm's aftermath.

I wish I still had that much defiance in me. The storms of life continually attempt to batter me into submission--like the walnut tree which fell into my yard a few years ago. The storms finally tore it out of the ground by its roots. It took me weeks, and a new chain saw, to clean up that mess.

But palm trees stand--often alone, weathering the worst storms. And after the fury has passed--they remain.

I often remark when I am traveling--usually as we cross the South Carolina border, that once I can see palm trees I know that I am far enough south.

Palm trees are not just another pretty face in the crowd--they are strong and ready to face the worst weather imaginable.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


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