Look Up

Most of the time when I go for a walk, I forget my sunglasses.  They are usually in my car, and I don’t think about grabbing them until it is too late.  I’ve noticed when I’m not wearing them that I tend to keep my head down to keep the sun out of my eyes.

Recently, I was walking around the park in our neighborhood, once again without my sunglasses, and my eyes were focused on the ground as I looped around the neighborhood.  I was having a hard day and paused for a few minutes to sit on a bench, gather my thoughts, and offer up a prayer.  As I resumed my walk, I was passing below several trees and felt an invitation to look up.

At first, I just glanced up to see the height and majesty of the trees.  They are actually quite large and they create a lovely canopy for the sidewalk.  However, as my eyes focused on what was above me I gasped.  The sun was peeking through the branches, and dotting the trees were pinecones on every limb.

I’ve always loved pinecones.  I’m not sure what it is about them, but they always bring me joy.  Maybe they remind me of growing up in Vermont.  Maybe they are connected with winter and Christmas in my brain.  Whatever it is, I find them fascinating.

Even though they are interesting to me, I’ve never taken the time to learn about them, but after seeing the trees brimming with them I decided to do a little research.

Apparently, pinecones remain in their tree until their seeds are fully grown.  While in the tree, the female pinecones are able to open and close to protect the seeds growing within them.  Depending on the tree this can take anywhere from 2 to 10 years, thus creating a bumper crop every 3 to 7 years!  Once the seeds have reached maturity, and float away, the pinecones then fall out of the tree.

I think these trees I walked under were experiencing their bumper crop, and I would have missed it if I hadn’t looked up.

When we change our perspective we begin to see things we hadn’t seen before.  This can be good, bad, or even neutral.  It depends on the situation.

That day, when I looked up, I was reminded that nature speaks to me deeply and that God is at work in all things.  I could have walked right past those trees without looking up - it wouldn’t have changed what was happening in them, they would have kept growing their seeds in preparation for their release.

But I would have missed out on an invitation to experience God's majesty and grandeur.  At that moment, shifting my perspective allowed me to experience what was happening around me in a way I will remember for years to come. 

~  Melissa