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Writer's pictureMelanie Courtemanche

Should we blame trees?

Updated: Feb 2, 2023




I realized something today. I was enjoying the fresh air, looking at nature, while removing weeds from my garden. After months of being quite sick, I often felt guilty, flawed, and insufficient because I wasn’t healing properly or as fast as I thought I should.


Somehow, I felt that because I was a healer on a spiritual path and because I was strong, I wasn’t supposed to be sick, or at the very least, I should be able to heal myself by being fully present and by choosing and being in control my thoughts.


Then today, as I was looking at trees and plants in my garden, I realized trees also get sick sometimes. They get uprooted by tornadoes or they get injured. But nobody blames the trees or accuses them of not being fully present. They do not, manifest disasters or ailments with negative thinking as humans often do.


Sometimes, we need to remember, ‘shit happens’. It’s not always pretty or perfect. Yet, it’s happening. The difference is that the trees don’t stop being trees, they don’t stop being present when they experience trauma, negative events, or sickness. They remain true to their being. They stay present to the experience without trying to control the outcome. They just are.


I was judging myself. I was putting pressure on myself. I was pushing through and forcing myself to be what others expected of me. I was resisting, which of course, amplified the sickness, the excruciating physical pain I was feeling, and the fear of losing control.


Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we shouldn’t take responsibility for our thoughts, feelings, or actions. I’m not saying we can’t manifest amazing things. I do believe that all things that happen in our lives are great opportunities to grow. They allow us to become the best version of ourselves – if we allow them to.


What I’m saying is, life happens in and around us. Even the most present, grounded, and positive beings face challenges such as unkind people, the odd crisis, or the passing of a loved one. It’s not always our fault or our doing.


With that sudden realization, a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. I started to hear my guides again. I anchored myself, became grounded, opened my heart, and felt a wave of peace encompass my whole being. As I rooted myself to the present, I let go of fear and judgement, and accept what was; I sensed the tightness on my chest and the ovewhelming pain dissolve. In no time, my body healed. My energy and strength started to rise again.


I now try to remind myself daily that in life, we should strive to be more like the trees that in the presence of strong winds, have learned to bend.

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