LOVE, Kloudiia

A stroll in the park in the morning works wonders! My harvest includes 4 mosquito bites, discovery of a tiny fruit orchard smack in the heart of a neighbourhood park, some tree species and the fresh, morning air which was filled with some rain molecules with the overcast sky.

Before falling asleep last night, I told myself if I’m able to rise early this morning, I shall go to the parks and get close to nature. So I set the alarm to go off at 7:30am.

(OMG! Is this early? I’m already in the jam-packed subway or bus on my way to school/work!)

Er-hem. Please do be a little bit understanding of my job nature, and trust me, it is a stretch for me to wake up this early, when I had barely slept for 5 hours? With lots of dreams in the meantime to entertain me while I was sleeping.

So when the alarm went off, my mind was actually anticipating the walk in the parks! Christine’s article on creativity had to do with most part of why my mind was behaving in this manner, totally unlike the usual mornings.

My body was, well, behaving exactly as how she should be – lazing under the comfort of my quilts and resisting my mind’s wakening call. When efforts were futile, she started to will my mind to do her bidding, by coiling up and wrapping the quilt tighter with the soft pillow against her face.

It was then that the phone beeped.

“Who in the world will sms at a time like this!!!” my heart yelled.

“Is this a call to ask me to get up?” I can’t help wondering.

I read it, and tossed around as my phone went on snooze mode.

“If I receive another sms, that means I have to wake up” I negotiated internally.

It beeped.

“Ok”

I got up. How can I rise so early to the silence in the home? Knocking on my mom’s door, I attempted to cajole her into joining me for my morning walk. I only saw a Mama Bear waddling back to her bed.

“Ok, I shall go myself”

I wished God a good morning, and headed off for my stroll in the park, to clear my minds, rejuvenate my senses, and to stretch my limbs.

What I passed by…

Look at that sign! Does it mean it’s illegal to pluck flowers? *roll eyes*

What greeted me…

A bunch of hale and hearty elders having an early dose of the fresh air as they breathed in and out, in combination with their strokes in what is known as “Tai Chi”.

When I was heading back, I saw them again holding red paper fans! I thought they were practising the “paper fan dance”, but my mom later told me that’s part of their exercise move. *blush*

What surprised and nurtured me…

This tree was planted on November 2007 – which means it’s almost 10 years old.

Look at the roots of a 10-year old tree. It has developed from a small tree or maybe plant to grow into it’s height today, with roots entrenched in the earth holding it up.

Isn’t this about life and relationships too? If you want to develop your potential, you find a spot and you focus on nurturing it, growing your roots as deep as you can, and widening your reach concurrently.

But if you were to give up one year later when you are still struggling to stay upright with the slight force of a gale, you will never establish roots like this.

And we know of trees that have lived a ripe age of more than a hundred years. Imagine what kind of roots they have!

If you want to have a loving and lasting relationship, jumping from one to another when you feel that the sparks are no longer there will render you helpless in the end, like that of a young plant that will have to fight hard to grow its roots to ensure it’s health and survival for many decades to come.

To uproot a plant takes mnutes. To uproot a tree like such (or even older) takes months to plan and execute, especially if it has ruled that territory way before we were even born.

Similarly, to destroy a young relationship is easy. To reduce a 20-year relationship or marriage to ruins require years of eroding, a slow but constant process. It usually doesn’t fall apart with one strike, because the roots have been firmly planted there to withstand such sudden force.  

Build your life like a tree. Start with a seed, and grow as you absord the oxygen and water.

And I ended my morning stroll with a dine-in breakfast with my mom.

Hmm… a nice way to start a day, I thought.

[tags]beautiful day, morning, stroll, park, relationship, love and marriage, tree roots, strength[/tags]