Like a Palm Tree

Becoming flexible

Hello Sojourners!

snap back after storm
like a palm tree in the wind,
bend, but do not break

One of the things we say a lot in our house is, be like a palm tree!

In strong winds, like those in hurricanes, palm trees bend over, and sometimes even their tops touch the ground—but they do not break. This is much different than what happens to an oak tree.

When I lived in Taiwan, it was incredible to watch the palm trees during the typhoons. They looked like ballerinas.

Last year, we had a wicked windstorm here in Oregon that broke branches and uprooted many oak trees. Oaks stand strong, but with enough force, they break because they cannot withstand the force brought to bear by the winds. Palm trees almost never get uprooted or break. They may lose some fronds, but they usually snap right back once the wind is gone.

Right now, I need to be a palm tree. That means I have to pause this newsletter for a week. I am pausing subscriptions and will be back to my daily poetry comics next Tuesday, March 21st.

Thanks for understanding!

Cheers,

Jason