ROOTS BESIDE A STREAM

 

"New Snow", oil,
by Delilah Smith

    Today I noticed some bare, bitter-looking wintry trees beside the Mystic River near our house, and for some reason, I thought of their roots, and of me. They are lucky trees to be leaning over the river, with their roots sending out shoots into the underlying wetness of the river, soaking up whatever moisture they might need. The river’s nourishment will always be there for them, in healthy weather or drought. The trees, you could say, should be fearless, for the faithful river is taking good care of them. I suppose I, too, should be fearless, at least in a sense, since my “roots” reach out into the endless nourishment of forces like love and friendship and bravery. Like never-ending rivers, these powers are always flowing around and under all of us, ready to send us all the energy we need to take us through hard times. I have constant access, for instance, to the force of comradeship and kindness, which is far greater than the force of alarm and fear. In the frozen winds these days, the trees nearby us have the nourishment of the river to help them stay strong, and I can be brave in the bad days (I hope) with the spiritedness of the good inner qualities that never stop flowing for all of us.