The trees are tall.
The trees sway back and forth.
They never look like they’re going to break—only that they move with the breeze, gently swaying side to side.
Those were my thoughts while Kim and I were on a little getaway in a cabin in the woods of Arkansas just a couple of weeks ago.
As I sat on the balcony and watched those tall trees sway, I began to wonder if I was anything like them—swaying with the breeze.
And if I’m being honest… I don’t think I do.
I’m a little more rigid. When the breeze comes, I try to stand firm.
But what does the breeze in life look like?
A moment that doesn’t go as planned.
A little more traffic.
A little more work.
A conversation that didn’t go the way you expected.
A thought that interrupts your smile.
When we stand firm against those breezes—and so many others—we can change the course of our day. Anxiety, anger, sadness, irritation, frustration… and sometimes a full spiral.
But when we sway, like those tall trees in Arkansas, something different happens.
We find joy.
Happiness.
A sense of ease.
Gratitude.
An understanding of the moment instead of resistance to it.
My challenge to each of us is this:
When life brings a breeze, be like the trees. Sway with it. Let it move you—without breaking you.
Make it look beautiful on the sunniest days… and even on the cloudiest ones.
Be a swaying tree.