Finding the Beauty in the Mess

Relationships can be messy like the trees, but so worth it.

Last weekend, I did some much needed yard work. I had lots of sticks and small limbs to get out of my backyard and I finally had a spare Saturday to devote to it. We are surrounded by old hardwoods, so whenever we get a fair amount of wind, we have sticks, acorns and leaves everywhere. They litter the deck and the yard and leave a bit of a mess.

In the almost fifteen years we have lived here, I have come to love these majestic trees. They provide much needed shade from the oppressive Georgia heat in the summer and spectacular art in the fall. In the spring, they provide a picture of hope as they burst back to life, that just happens to coincide with Easter. They provide homes and food to countless critters and I have spent hours and hours throughout my time living here, watching and listening to the birds and squirrels. From time to time, I’ve even been blessed to catch a glimpse of a hawk or an owl landing on one of the limbs.

These trees have definitely provided me with a lot of joy over the years, but they are messy.

Every rain storm results in a mess and those beautiful leaves in the fall, eventually result in hours of raking and hauling and often a blister or two for me. The deck and driveway have to be cleared regularly because leaves are surprisingly slick when they get wet. And in case you have ever wondered, acorns are like tiny bombs when they fall out of the trees and they hurt when they land on your head.

I was contemplating the messy trees as I was throwing sticks over the fence and I thought about how are human relationships are a lot my big old trees. Good ones provide us shade and refuge, from a world that too often is loud and harsh. There’s nothing like leaning into a good friend when we need to talk or just simple understanding. The best ones provide us art too and add lots of color in our lives through laughter and good times spent together. Friendships can provide hope like the leaves in spring when we are living through a barren season. They can provide homes for our dreams to grow and live as they cheer us on and encourage us.

Why wouldn’t we seek out friendships?

Because like those trees, they can be messy too. We sometimes have misunderstandings. We sometimes say things we don’t mean. Humans tend to be selfish and we sometimes put ourselves before the ones we hold dear which can result in hurt feelings. Anyone who has traveled around the sun enough times has experienced some type of hurt from a relationship.

There are even those who decide that relationships really just aren’t worth the cost. They have been hurt one too many times and are done with the mess.

The current pandemic the world is still facing may serve to strengthen their resolve. Maybe staying apart is best.

But, as I toss yet another limb over the fence and look at the still green leaves that are gracing the trees, I know that a spectacular show is on the way and I know that the beauty is worth the mess and the same is true with the people in our lives.

While 2020 has robbed us of much, may we be encouraged to fight for the relationships we hold dear, mess and all, remembering that friendship is a gift from God. Some fallen limbs reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂