Sitting on the patio, drinking my morning cup of coffee is one of my favorite simple pleasures. There's something about holding the warm cup, hearing the birds sing and watching the sun rise through the leaves of the grapefruit tree. The day is awakening, the morning golden light breathes it's life on my face and peace into my soul. I sit until I'm beckoned inside to begin the day or until the mosquitoes chase me away.
As I've sat there through the many changes of the grapefruit tree - January, March, April, May...
I experience the delicious, abundant fruit, the sweet fragrance of the blossoms that soaks the air, the new life of the next crop and the necessary letting go of the old fruit.
The necessary letting go of the old fruit.
The old fruit was so good and so sweet and life-giving for a time, but then, in order to make space for the new fruit it has to let go. If it didn't let go and continued to grow the fruit would become too large and break the branch. It would take all the nutrients that make the little pollinated blossoms turn into fruit. There would be no new fruit.
Sometimes it is helpful for me to look at my life through the compass. Looking to east I see new beginnings, the south is creativity and play, the west is endings and the north is my Guiding Light.
I see this time in the grapefruit tree like looking east and west. The tree has to give up something to have a new beginning. It must let go of the old fruit that is no longer life-giving to receive the gift of the new fruit.
In my own life back in January I felt a deep call to explore the creative side of myself. To express my inner self through various artistic media forms. To have an adventure in art. However, in order to receive this new adventure, I had to let go of the fear of failure. I had to let go of the idea that I would be "successful" and add this new form of art as a side hustle. I had to let go of being "productive" with my time and give myself space to allow creativity to flow.
Are there ideas or areas in your life that feel like they are on the horizon or just beginning? Perhaps it's taking hold of something in a new way or an area in life that needs change or transformation?
Is there something or someone you need to let go of to make that happen? Is there a belief or pattern that needs to change? Is there a healing that needs to take place in order to welcome the new?
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My Offering
The new thing,
that thing that's just out of grasp
it's so bright and hopeful
my heart leaps
at the possibilities it could bring.
but there's no room
because doubt has filled that space
a "can't" has shadowed it's place
i'm clinging to something that
used to be a grace.
"be brave" i said
and lifted the edges of the old
relief and pain
as some spots were woven into my being
ripping and releasing.
welcome new thing
to space that is ready
settle in
let the weaving begin
and bring new life.