The buds promise spring
They drink the food of the root
And reach for the sky

Spring has always been my favorite time of the year. It’s so full of promise and hope.

This picture is of the maple tree in my back yard. It doesn’t bud out as soon as some of the other flora in our yard, so I’m always watching for it. The buds actually form in the fall and wait all winter for the sap to run in the trees, then they go from tightly sealed pod to baby leaves in just a few days.

I was looking at the tree during my lunch, and it occurred to me that the only way the buds will come to life and grow is if they spend all winter in hopes that the tree will waken come spring. They must stay connected to the sap that feeds them, to their roots. Only if they do that can they blossom and provide a place for birds and squirrels and what-not to shelter.

May we likewise stay connected to our roots.