THE EMBRACING TREE

I woke up with an empty diary (other than volunteering at Youth Club tonight)... No zooms! Awesome!

Of course I could've spent the day writing ceremonies, updating my website, doing some banking, uploading blogs... but after a lazy morning when I asked myself 'What would bring me joy?' the answer took me by the hand and led me outside... reminding me to grab a sketch book, paints and inks on the way.

I knew where I was headed... to have an encounter with a beautiful Hawthorn tree. I invited my inner child along with me. She marvelled and wondered, awestruck at every little thing.

When I arrived I greeted Hawthorn and just sat in her presence for a while. She welcomed me with a striped dragonfly (my first of the year!) and a bumble bee, a beetle and two dancing butterflies! I asked if I could approach... "come to me" she answered. Approaching... I gifted her some rose oil and a piece of citrine in gratitude for the abundance of nature at this time and some red clover and grass seed I'd collected. I apologised for not coming earlier, for missing her blossom... telling her "I'm here now".

And as I walked around the tree... "slowly, gently" she urged.

.. I gasped to see a butterfly which had recently emerged from a cocoon. So beautiful!

After we'd exchanged greetings and gifts I returned to my seat to admire her entirely in her entirety. The sun casting her in shadow in the daisy dotted mossy earth at her feet. And I attempted to paint her beauty.

This Hawthorn... The Embracing Tree as I know her... holds herself so gently, so lovingly in her own arms.