The Arbutus Tree is truly a work of art. My first exposure to it was when I left Boulder, Colorado to get married on Galiano Island, British Columbia in 2005. I had never witnessed a tree like this. It’s so common in this part of the world, but a far cry from anything I would have seen growing up in New York, the Bronx no less!
Arbutus Trees make me think of my clients, my work as a therapist, and my lifelong commitment to keep unveiling the next layer.
It sheds. It peels off layers in a never-ending cycle with each layer being more magnificent than the other. Change is a natural process and guaranteed. I want to experience change like the natural grace of this tree. Sometimes I do it well, but many times I experience a resistance when this layer is ready to start shedding. I forget that what is about to be revealed is beautiful and new.
This final layer is so polished, so sensual, so rugged. It beckons all passers- by to feel and experience its smooth strength and resilence.
Arbutus can grow off cliffs, twist in magnificent poses, and survive in dramatic conditions. They don’t just survive, they thrive and they are so beautiful in their transformation.
So cheers to being like the Arbutus! Shedding our layers with the delicate balance of strength and vulnerability…forever renewing and becoming with resilience, integrity and grace.
