Once the love of her life took her to tropical waters. He crouched underwater and signaled to place her feet on his shoulders. He’d propel her upwards and she was to dive gracefully into the water. She thought she was not cut out for that move. It was a move only pretty girls performed, perhaps cheerleaders, but not her. When she mounted his shoulders, she was afraid. She felt his body rising up from the waters beneath her. It was time to jump, but she hesitated and slipped off, kicking him in the face.
She wondered if the whole time she felt unworthy of his lifting her heavenward. Maybe that’s why it had all unraveled.
She closed her eyes and felt the tree trunk behind her. The bark burrowed in the exposed skin of her neck and shoulders. Its leaves rustled at her weeping. Its roots bubbled up from the earth to hold her, the strength of its trunk like an old friend.
What a blessing these listeners are. Miraculous gifts from God, these trees of ancient knowing.