Be Like A Tree.

Happy New Year 2022 to all!

My family and I spent the last week of 2021 in Bangalore. This was one of the most relaxing and peaceful weeks of 2021 for me.

The most delightful part of this vacation was going to the famed Cubbon Park. I only knew about the park from school and had seen a few photographs on social media. But this was my first visit to the park.

I must say, I could not have asked for a better ending to the year. The park is massive and lined with thousands of trees. The moment I stepped inside the park, I was overcome with a sense of peace and calm. The freshness and surge of pure oxygen was simply the best feeling.

We observed tiny squirrels hopping around, which was an adorable sight that kept us engrossed in their antics.

As we walked through the park, I soaked in the surroundings and savoured the stillness that it had to offer. I remember my would-be sister-in-law saying that there was a blog post forming in my mind right then. And she was absolutely right!

No matter how attractive skyscrapers and modern cities are, nothing beats the joy of coming back to nature. Especially a place surrounded by trees.

Seeing them spread out their branches, the sunlight streaking through the leaves, the cool shade and the abundance of pure air, I could not help but wonder how much there is that we have to learn from trees.

This blog post is about a few lessons that I have learnt from trees.

1. Stay grounded: Trees stay firmly planted and attached to their roots no matter how much they grow. Even in the face of adversity, such as severe weather, they manage to remain strong and resilient.
2. Spread out and grow: The beauty of trees lies in their branches which spread out widely. If you have looked closely at a tree, you’ll see how they grow in all directions and bloom.
3. In stillness, there is joy: Trees remain rooted in one spot. Despite their inability to move, they like everything about themselves. To be fulfilled, one does not have to be immersed in chaos all of the time. At times, the contentment that serenity provides is sufficient.
4. Imperfection has its own beauty: No two branches of a tree are alike. Each one is distinct in its own way. Yet, they bring their own charm to the tree.
5. Let go: Trees shed their leaves and later grow new ones. In the same manner, we too should learn to let go of things that are not in our control and the past and instead, focus on reclaiming our full potential.
6. Be selfless: Trees grow leaves, bear fruit and flowers, offer shelter and shade without expecting anything in return. This is such an incredible quality indeed.
7. Do not compete: There are so many varieties of trees. They do not compete or compare with one another. They just grow and bloom to their best abilities.

There is so much more that is to be learnt from trees and nature in general. It’s all about spending more time outdoors in nature and learning through observing.

Looking ahead to a fulfilling and joyful year ahead for all of us.

Until next time, stay blessed.