Twists And Turns Can Be Beautiful

Twists and turns are not all bad. Sometimes they can be beautiful, especially when we take the time to hear the story behind what we see. These trees caught my attention as I walked in the woods. Being winter, the light was soft and low in mid afternoon. I almost walked past then because they were down a hill. I nearly missed them.

It was the twists and turns of their trucks and branches that invited me to stop, almost as if they said out loud, “Do not pass me by.” They are rooted on the side of Wenham Lake, once renowned for it’s ice that was literally transported around the world. British royalty counted it a delight.

If these trees could reveal their stories I know I would hear tales of floods and droughts, birds with nests, hurricane force winds and full moons reflecting on the glassy flat water. They could tell of deer, coyotes, rabbits raccoons, ducks, geese, hawks and every other woodland animal that passes by regularly. The circumstances they have faced have molded them into individuals with deep root systems. They survive the seasons. They are molded by the good and the challenging things they face each season.

What about us? If you are a tree, what would you look like? Tall and straight like an oak? Or maybe twisted and turned like the beech in the photo? Probably some mix, because each of us faces different kinds of challenges.

Then there is the question of how we respond to the twists and turns of life. Some face several deaths of family members or close friends in less than a year. A prodigal child. Or it could be a sudden loss of income. Natural disasters like tornados that uproot homes and deposit them with all their contents in unidentifiable pieces across miles. Even a lot of good events can be exhausting.

How we respond and how we use the resources we are given makes a big difference between defeat, survival and continued growth. Psalm 1 gives us a good foundation from which to face our twists and turns.

¹ Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
² But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
³ They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

The twists and turns in the trees above are beautiful to me. These, like us, have not only survived, but they thrive year after year in spite the hard times. Yes, we are shaped by our circumstances and how we respond.

What resources do we draw upon? Is the law of the Lord one of our life lines? Like the trees, we have stories to tell. For me, I plan to make it a point, looking past the exterior to ask, then listen. I hope to make more friends and learn from others to better face the twists and turns of life with grace and beauty. What is God inviting you to?