Rooted in Connection

I sat outside as I typically do once a day while I work, openly receiving the inviting warmth of the sunshine. The fresh air fills my body like nothing else; a natural antidepressant nourishing me with refreshed creativity. My thoughts, while calm, began to flow steadily in the quiet, the only noise being the birds’ chirping. I stood up to stretch for a moment and glanced to the right at my favorite juniper tree, its branches hanging low due to the weight of the berries that decorate almost every inch. My eyes traced their shape, following the length of the branches down to the ground where a grain was sprouting. It was reaching up towards the sun, growing taller, as the tree hung lower. It looked as though both types of growth were reaching for each other, if only they could get to the point of connecting. A metaphor for humanity. We are born with an innate need for connection - to grow together. Whether growing means that we shift downward or upward, it looks different for everyone. Yet, the same desire remains, to connect with people along the way; to find value in togetherness as we take steps in whichever direction for our constant needed growth.