So I finally came up with a title for my blog. You might be saying to yourself, “Dendrochronology?” Yes, dendrochronology. Your next likely question is, “How did you come up with that?” Well, there are a couple of reasons.
1. I like trees. In the last couple of years, they have become symbols of strength, peace, and wisdom to me. The funny thing is that I liked trees before I ever even realized how much they meant to me. About 10 years ago, I started using tree motifs to decorate parts of my house. I even painted some arts and craft style trees on the walls. My husband likes to call these Medusa trees, but I still like them.
More recently, as I worked through various issues in my life, I kept coming back to the symbol of a tree for strength. I’m especially captivated by the rings of the tree. They reflect the growth of the tree from year to year – some wide, some narrow.
2. The World English Dictionary defines dendrochronology as “the study of the annual rings of trees, used especially to date past events.” In a manner, this blog studies our personal rings, the past events that created them, and how they form the whole that we are today. I would venture to say all events and interactions result in the addition of another ring to our self – either wide or narrow. For me, it’s helpful to realize that even the narrow rings add strength and that in time, wider rings will be added. Knowing it’s all part of the growing process gives me peace – which is essential because I tend to worry when I don’t know what is coming next. When I’ve lived through this process long enough and start to recognize each ring and its contribution, I gain wisdom.
I intend for this blog to be a place to study and reflect on our rings – both personal and professional. Every ring I have – every event, every interaction, every thought, every action – has made me the person I am today. There is a folktale called The Tale of Three Trees in which three trees spend years growing on a hillside. As they add one ring after another, they dream about what they will become one day. While none of them become exactly what they hoped, they find an even greater purpose than they had imagined.
I may not know exactly what the future holds for me, but I know my rings are preparing me for something – most likely a purpose greater than I can imagine – because let’s face it, my imagination isn’t all that big. As my daughter enters her teenage years, she’s embraced the verse from Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” This verse isn’t only for teenagers and graduates. It’s for all of us – all of us who let the busy-ness of life and others’ expectations get in the way of God’s plan for us. I trust He has a plan for me and my rings.
I hope the words I write here (along with your responses) help us to study and reflect on the strength, peace, and wisdom we find in our rings. More importantly, I hope they move us to action in our lives and in the world.
~mwe
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