Presence and Healing

The Tree - She and Me

Joseph Krans - 2024

I came to a tree, broken, mangled and clawed. I felt the tree speak to me in a way only trees know how. It placed on my heart a poem of loss, pain, transformation and birth... a poem of love. As I sat and transcribed the words of the tree's poem on my heart, a precious gift I was given as her poem became OURS. As one discerns a call to Spiritual Companionship, a call to deep listening, presence, love and healing... a sure confirmation of your call comes... when you companion a tree.

I am drawn to a tree

Hurting, twisted, and broken,

Gnarled, damaged, and mangled

It's pain barely spoken

Deep claw-marks tell of woundedness

Heavy gouges express longing

Misshapen branches reaching out

Seeking peace and belonging

Let me sit with you a while

Let me caress all your wounds

Let me experience your heartache

And your grief let me sooth

May we be one in this moment

Making each other's pain Ours

May we experience some relief

Realizing we are more than our scars

Yet, as I see you more intensely

You are life-giving love

New shoots and new branches...

Stretching out up above

Open to others

Sharing yourself with the moss

Bringing hope to this place

Seeing beauty beyond loss

As I listen more closely

Your message to me...

I have loved and am loved

for Love is all I can be

I am simply being...

All I'm meant to be

And so... I choose love

Because... love chose me

Upon my return visit

My tree firmly speaks

Thanks for knowing and sharing

A shed tear on your cheek

Enough attention on me, now

See... my sisters and brothers

We love being known

And sharing our life with others

So let us now together

All gather and sing

A song of Love and Thanksgiving

To the creator of all things