I was walking with Susan in our neighborhood and I noticed the trees. They grow in all kinds of places and all kinds of spaces. A tree unimpeded grows straight up and stretches out its branches in all directions as if embracing all there is to love. Some trees, though have impediments in their way. Sometimes they get planted up against a wall. And so can only grow away from the wall. It seems to not be able to live to its full potential.
But is that true? Is not a tree a tree? No matter if it grows straight up or around a boulder, or has branches on all sides or just one, is it not still a tree in all its potential? And does not a tree reach out in love anywhere that it is planted?
Humans have a tendency to qualify or quantify how one thing is more than another. We love to rate or score. When it comes to our fellow human beings this behavior is destructive and contrary to God. Just like my tree analogy, one is human no matter how one grows and as such is worthy of all of God's love and our's as well.
Who we are is a sum of all that we have had to grow around, through, despite of; no matter where we were or are planted. What might our neighborhoods be like if we lived the way God sees us? What if we recognized the other as one who loves as well.
A poet once sang: All we need is love!
