This past week I was walking in the woods behind my house with my son and noticed all the different tree buds on the bare trees…waiting patiently to burst open in the spring. They looked like little cocoons, all wrapped up tight and snug.
I always thought buds grew in the winter and only recently learned that they form at the end of the growing season in late summer. They are just not as noticeable when leaves are on the trees. In late fall and winter, they are revealed.
Tree buds and, similarly, flower bulbs hold a wisdom all their own. Though tree buds and flower bulbs go dormant in winter, they hold the promise of things to come.
They are protected from cold temperatures and frost – soil protects bulbs, and scales or even “fuzz” (such as on Magnolia trees) protect tree buds.
They have everything they need stored within…a bud encases all the tissue needed for a flower or leaf. Furthermore, though bulbs are half-asleep in winter, their root systems grow deeper and stronger.
They are patient, embracing this necessary period of renewal.
What inner resources sustain and support you?
What hopes do you have of things to come?
If you would like to explore the wisdom of buds and bulbs further, download the PDF below.
This Soulful Seasons mini guide offers additional reflections for the heart and a simple art invitation.
