This solitary heliotrope tree caught my attention as I sauntered along the beach taking in the Kailua-Kona sunrise. Spending some time observing it stirred up a lot of questions:
How deep are its roots?
How much sand is there before the ground becomes solid lava rock?
Do the roots need to access fresh water or does it process salty water?
Had there been other trees here which were unable to endure as this one has?
It’s a simple tree. It is not famous. There are no placards testifying to its significance. It is mostly unremarkable, but it has a story, and I’ll never fully know that story, but I can infer some of it based on what I can observe.
A lot of us are like this tree. Mostly unremarkable, certainly so from a distance, and perhaps more so when we’re disconnected. However, we all have a story, and it’s worthwhile to acknowledge this fact, especially as we encounter others living from the experience of their particular stories. Considering this can inform how we choose to respond. Further, taking the time to learn others’ stories can reveal just how amazing people actually are, and sometimes give us the courage to move forward along the timeline of our own stories.
I’m thankful for having had the opportunity to spend some time with this tree. (The sunrise was pretty spectacular too.)
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