Apart from the extremely cold temperatures, one sign of winter here in North America is the huge number of leafless trees you see. Yes, there are some evergreens but the majority of trees begin to lose their leaves in the Fall. By the time the frigid temperatures of winter arrive, all of the leaves are gone.
But I know of one tree that’s defying this pattern.
Over the last few years, I’ve started noticing something different about the lone tree in my front yard. It’s holding on to its leaves longer. Yes, the leaves are withered and completely dried up. But they continue to hang on for dear life - even though they are completely lifeless.
The picture you see here shows the tree as it looks at the time this newsletter is going out. We’re smack dab in the middle of February, and it’s still holding on to its leaves.
We’ve already gone through a period of extremely cold negative temperatures - and that’s in degrees Fahrenheit, not Celsius! That means it was insanely cold. Yet the leaves are still hanging on.
I planted the tree more than 10 years ago, so I know it wasn’t always like this.
When it was young, it behaved like the other trees. Its leaves would change color in the Fall and they all fall off before winter officially sets in. But as it gets older, it’s been holding on to those leaves for longer periods. Last year, the leaves didn’t fall off until early Spring when new leaves started to bud.
The tree kept holding on to something that’s dead; to something that’s completely useless. And I’ve noticed something similar with us humans.
Some of us sometimes hold on too long to something that’s dead: something we should have given up on.
Broken electronics. Clothes that don’t fit. Useless gifts we feel obligated to keep. Antiquated ideas. Fruitless vocations.
As bad as these are, there are others things more dangerous to our existence that we hold on to.
Negative thoughts. Irrational beliefs. Grudges. Anger. Unforgiveness. These can do a serious number on the human psyche and the results aren’t pretty.
Persistent negative thoughts result in negative emotions, leading to anxiety and depression. Some irrational beliefs can lower your self confidence and erode self-esteem. Such erosions reduces self worth and kill the motivation to pursue and accomplish goals.
Holding on to grudges and anger for too long will eventually result in physical ailments such as high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Chronic stress could be the result of harboring unforgiveness.
None of these are worth the trouble.
Check out the list again: Negative thoughts. Irrational beliefs. Grudges. Anger. Unforgiveness, just to name a few. Which of these are you holding on to for too long?
I think it’s time to let them go.