February 20

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The trees will know calm in the morning

Posted by on February 20, 2022 in PTSD, Theology | 2 Comments

I am forever indebted to the wisdom of trees.

I wrote a Theology post here about God being in the rubble, and the comfort of Lammas.

I have always loved trees, nature, the outdoors. It is my place of thinking and reflecting and stillness.

The worst part of the pandemic response for my mental health was being indoors 23 hours a day. I love the feeling of being free and able to escape. I also love being near my loved ones, community, and I love meeting new people.

To me, society thrives on the spontaneous interactions with strangers and those outside of our immediate friends and family circle. I can’t think of anything more anti-social that subcontracting our commitments to third parties, and meeting our basic needs with apps and faceless transactions.

Storm Arwen caused destruction like no other storm I can remember locally. We are usually spared from the worst of extreme weather, yet the climate disaster is now reaching all of us. A tree fell in our garden against our neighbour’s house, and since then I have been anxious every time the wind picks up.

This morning I walked the dogs before Storm Franklin set in, determined to miss the worst of the rain and high winds. As always I got talking with some dog walkers. A lovely Irish lady of 85 (the lady volunteered this information) spoke candidly about lockdowns and ‘keeping going’. A stoic and forthright woman, she commanded respect and marched through the woods with her tiny frame.

We spoke about the tree damage from Arwen and getting home before the weather turned. The lady said “The trees will know calm in the morning”.

Royden Park trees, Sunday 20th February 2022

Then of course today we heard Mark 4:35-41, Jesus calms the storm. A reminder of faith over fear, and order being restored where it did not seem possible.

The winds, the floods, the pandemic, it will all come to an end. All we can do is love one another, heal divisions, and not allow the powerful to divide the people.

If you are anxious and troubled then take your faith from the trees.

Gemma Ahearne in ‘tree pose’ at The Dungeons, Wirral Country Park, 11th September 2021.

Gemma x