Joyful Transformation

I love Bradford Pear Trees. They usually are the first hint that spring is upon us. In the fall they are ablaze with color. The neat thing about them is that they grow fast. If you plant one this year in a couple of years you will have a beautiful tree in your yard.


However, I have noticed that these lovely trees do not seem to weather storms very well. This past week we had just a mild thunderstorm and I noticed five or six of these trees that had major limbs broken. A few twigs and leaves came off of some of the other trees, but these beauties had major damage.


Do you know some people like that? Their appearance is so striking. They seem to mature very quickly and their beauty is enhanced all the more. But when the smallest storms of life come along they become broken and battered.

Sometimes we need to guard against placing people on a pedestal because of their looks or even their amazing growth. More importantly we need to nurture our own roots where we can be strong enough to weather the storms of life. Yep, this is my lesson from the Pear Tree.