
We lived in an apartment complex that had a huge tree in the court house. When my parents would be fighting, which was more than not, I would go out to the courtyard, climb the tree and that is where I would find peace. It wasn’t your average disagreement. It usually ended in the cops showing up. At one point the cops had been to our apartment on so many occasions that management of the complex threatened to have us evicted if our parents continued to be a disturbance. One day, I wrote the following poem while sitting in that tree. I was about 11 years old and it was my first piece of poetry I had written.
I sit up in a beautiful tree
thinking of all the beautiful things I can see.
I’m far away in a tree
filled with so much peace.
It’s a beautiful place to be.
While in the tree I would often look for things that were beautiful and I would focus on that object. The trees, the sunshine, the sky. I would close my eyes and imagine a perfect day. I would ignore the fight my parents were having and I would take my mind to where I would find quiet and peace. I would do a lot of writing while sitting in that tree. Life is not always beautiful but God is. His plan is beautiful. When we are going through tough moments in life, we can always find a tree (figuratively speaking) , climb it, close our eyes and think of every bit of God’s beauty in our life.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
What is something beautiful in a circumstance that was difficult for you?