trunks

I spent a lot of time on retreat walking, looking up at and taking pictures of trees. One day it dawned on me why trees fascinate me so, especially their various and sundry scars, knots and moss covered trunks. They represent visually on their surface the history of the tree, just as the rings on the inside can tell us how old the tree is, how many droughts and rainy seasons it has survived. Each tree tells a unique beautiful story as it goes on living.

But we humans, we don’t like to carry our knots and scars so visibly on the surface. We hide them inside and underneath, under the misconception that we should be perfect. And this effort takes energy away from the business of living. But we don’t have to. God loves us. All of us – warts, knots, and battle scars. Jesus knows. He understands. And he opens his arms to us all the same.