One of my recent blog entries was about the topic of ‘Shedding Branches’ which spoke of drastic action on my part. I likened the procedure to a tree losing its branches; such a painful happening may be necessary for me and for you also.
At the bottom of my garden there’s a bountiful plumb tree that almost every year produces a bumper crop of sweet-tasting Victoria plums. The harvest is so prolific that the very weight of the fruit can tear off branches. This is Nature’s way of improving the quality of the fruit left on the integral branches. Manual pruning of baby plums would bring the same result, but without the loss of branches.
My previous article pointed to a pruning that was taking place in my life to bring about a simple lifestyle by eliminating items and activities that were hampering me. In the same way the ancient Greek athletes ran naked to avoid handicapping themselves with the impediment of restrictive clothing.
After working through the process of severe pruning of branches, there comes a time for the more delicate activity of removing unhealthy leaves that no longer contribute to the well-being of the tree. Then with patience there comes a time of harvest well before the early days of autumn. During the sharp winter months nothing seems to happen, but when spring arrives new shoots appear that undergo a metamorphosis to become blossom for the bringing forth of a rich harvest. This is an annual repetitive cycle that can be applied to our lives for a greater harvest of reward, a reward not related to wealth, possessions or power, but one that concerns our well-being, both spiritual and physical. This reward comes in the form of better relationships with our family, friends and workmates. Why? Because without the clutter of branches and unprofitable leaves we can move better, see more clearly and be more easily assessable to others. We find we have more free time and spend less effort needlessly looking after useless possessions which in turn gives us less to worry about in addition to freeing us not only for our own welfare, but for the benefit of others.
