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| Healthy years! |
One
of the oldest bushes in our yard, the Crepe Myrtle by our front driveway
sickened after a battle against two freezes followed by extra dry and hot
springs. While everyone’s Crepe Myrtle’s drip with bright pink, white, or purple
blossoms, ours barely bud last year. A few months ago, we decided to cut the
forty-year-old bush back to the ground, leaving raw stumps that we encircled
with stones as a ring of hope for new growth.
My
son’s attachment to this bush surprised me. His memories of spring time and
summer include this marker to our house. He thought I was crazy to cut it back
as far as I did. Over the years, we’ve taken out Mimosas, China Berries,
Arizona Ashes, and Swamp Maples to accommodate the Live Oak out back that now
dominates our back yard. When my son was very young, he cried with each tree’s
removal. The Crepe Myrtle, though, never seemed at risk for removal, until it
grew ill.
Life sometimes requires decisions to prune weak relationships. We clip and trim dying or toxic bonds to gain personal growth. With patience and nurturing, something new and strong may blossom back. From the roots a better, stronger connection can sprout.
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| Dying |
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| New blossoms |
Copyright 2024 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman
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