Believe. Know. Grow. ~ Soul Social

What happens when there's a very painful loss. Unexpected, out of control. Very very hard to believe, and then let go. Nothing to do, no way back. The tree is cut. The crown is gone. It's done. No one believes it can ever live again. Except for one.  And then, the magic happens.

Four months later, two new beautiful shoots appear in the sun...

​A story of growth. Through expression.

Every single day, her heart cried from pain. The view of her tree, cut down, chopped, as she arrived home. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The loss, obvious. Right in her face. With the lockdown, it was even harder. She was stuck home. And the tree right in front of her window.

But the tree wasn't there anymore. The joy from watching its leaves dance in the wind - just a memory. It was just a huge, empty space it left behind. 

She couldn't do anything else, but feel it. Acknowledge it. Let the tree go. Let the tears flow. And with it, let part of herself go. A total surrender.

She first kept asking. Is there a chance? Will it survive? Will it grow back? The trunk was still there... But the crown was gone. No chance, sorry, it will never grow back. So they said. 

She didn't want to believe it. In the bottom of her heart, she believed, she knew, that there is a chance... This tree is still alive. And it will grow again. But first, she had to accept to let go. Let go of everything that mattered. 

She shed her last tears, and hugged the tree. 
The tree was a symbol. For the old patterns to be gone, for new to surface, and a complete new tree to grow.

But what tree will it be? The question was asked. What tree could it be, or become? Will it be a new tree really? Will the roots remain? Will it be only one tree, or can there be more?

A whole new world opened up. And every day, when she passed by the tree, she said hello, hugged the tree, and hoped.

Hoped. Believed. Knew. That a new tree will grow.

Weeks passed, months passed, but nothing changed. They kept saying, the tree won't grow. Every time, it hurt to hear it. She felt alone with it. But whenever she looked at the tree, her heart warmed. And she kept saying, she believed and hoped.

It was good to feel the warmth. It was winter, and so cold. Cold outside, but warm within. With herself. And finally, not alone.

She knew the spring will come. One day, the spring will come.

One day, as she walked home, and passed the tree, someone special reminded her to hug the tree. She got surprised. She went up to the tree, and she hugged it. A smile came to her face. There was another person who started to believe with her? It was a good day.

And one day, after four months, on a cold but sunny winter day, she passed by the tree, as she arrived home. She stopped, she hugged the tree. And she looked up.

She couldn't believe her eyes first...spring has sprung... so early...unexpected... in winter.

Two little, fresh green shoots, aiming for the sky, enjoying the sun, on a beautiful day.

She believed. She knew. She knew she had to surrender and let go.
The tree survived. The tree grew. She grew. Chapeau.

*Chapeau - a French expression to show respect and appreciation - "I take my hat off"- (chapeau means hat)

It happened. Growth will always find its way in the right time. Expression helps. Never give up.