Deep in the National Forest, on a steep embankment along side the Stanislaus river stand two trees.
Each tree originated from separate seeds as well as from a completely different species... One being an Oak Tree, husky and thick; the other an Incense Cedar, tall and lean.
Side by side over the years they grew from saplings to mighty trees, perfect specimens in their right.
Nourished from the same soil, watered by the same rains, sharing the same Sunshine, Wintering the bitterest storms, surviving drought and fire.. the trees grew side by side...but apart. Until time and erosion dominated the landscape, the tall Cedar began to slowly fall uphill toward the Oak, while the weight of the Oak began to pull it downward to where it could no longer stand on its own.
Eventually the two great trees came together, if it were one great wind, or a gentle push, matters little. The Cedar had come to rest cradled in the split of the Oaks waiting branches. The two supported each other. Through the years they continued to grow stronger together, leaning thru more storms, supported thru winds.
Neither lost their identity, they remained true to their species, and their original roots remained in firm soil.
So simple.. to understand that nothing stands alone for long, but with mutual effort .. Life continues harmoniously..
~ SBF
Painting interpretation by: Manual Cruz III
