The Stump, March 17 Daily Reflection

The stump of a freshly cut tree

Cut down, saw dust, splinters of wood remain where once there was a mighty tree. Out there in the open field for all to see and the living trees in the background a view of what once existed before it was transformed into merely a stump, a shortened version devoid of life.

How often as moms and just people in general do we feel like that new stump? We were out in the field of life thinking all was going fine and someone came along and decided for whatever reason we were no longer worthy of that place in life. Someone decided to cut us down to the very core of our being and laid our pieces out all about us in clear view for others to see the splintering of our lives. It happens as a mom by our children as they grow into teens and they say the cruelest words “I hate you Mom, I wish I could live somewhere else, I can’t wait to move away from home.” All their life we have given selflessly unconditional love and they break us down and splinter our love into saw dust beneath us, it hurts.  In our careers how many times have new bosses or new colleagues taken the work we have poured our life into and said “This can be outsourced, it was unnecessary work, I did that 5 years ago at my old position let me tell you what we should be doing now.” The pain that comes with knowing we have to accept that change even though it physically hurts us but if we don’t accept it we could lose our jobs. In our relationships with others. When we feel we are giving them all we have to give and we are rejected and tossed aside for someone else a tree that is healthy or taller.  All that remains is that stump left lonely, abandoned and not near the tree we once were.

So how does the stump recover from this loss of limbs, nutrition and life? A stump can actually continue to live if its roots graft (unite) to nearby living trees. The same can be said for us. As long as we do not let ourselves succumb to the temptations of abandonment and rejection and instead we reach out to others so that they can help us to sustain our lives we will live. Anytime we are chopped down at the core, we need to feel it, accept it, mourn it and then grow from it. We need to go to our source, God and ask for strength to continue living. We need to seek out those who can unite with us and help us thrive once more. We cannot do it alone; we can do it with God and with loved ones letting us unite to their life force.  So no matter how hard that ax hits your trunk as long as you still have some ground beneath you, loved ones around you and God within you nothing can kill your spirit.

2 Comments

  1. Theresa Marks
  2. Amy

Leave a Reply