Tree of forgiveness

I came across a book of Victorian watercolors yesterday and in it was a piece by Edward Coley Burnes-Jones titled The Tree of Forgiveness. I knew nothing of the story and did a quick bit of reseach. Classic mythology tale of two lovers brought together after the Trojan War. Demophoon goes away, while Phyllis waits and thinking her love will never return, does away with herself. The gods take pity on her and turns her into an almond tree. The errant lover finally returns and when he does the woman comes briefly back to life.

"Back to life". Hmm. The almond tree was living one kind of life, while the lover in another form just waited. But why sit around waiting when life is out there to be lived. And besides, what could an almond tree possibly sit around and wait for? Spring rains? The flowers of spring? For someone to come along and trim it back, appreciate it's fruit? A tree goes on and on, deals with the changes, is patient, takes care of itself the best it can and then looks to the world for the rest. The sign of an intelligent god. An active, spontaneous, appreciated, self reliant life is something I can relate to.

Which leads me to ask the burning question: which one of us is the almond tree, M, and which one of us is the errant lover? I could have qualified for that pining away guy for awhile, but then, reading your letters and seeing your face, well, I know that our parting was anything but easy for you, too.

But know one thing and that is this: just like that gal waiting patiently in the almond tree, I look forward to seeing you again one day. Every story has a back story, a story in the margins and we have ours. Tell you what. I have no plans on leaving this earthly realm early and as far as I know I have no gods acting in my behalf. But for the sake of drama and a good story I'll play the role of the almond tree. I know this part and it's fine by me. Right now it is spring and I am blooming, awaiting the gardener to come around to this side of the orchard and trim back my branches. Summer is coming soon and my leaves will be full, green and glorious. I look forward to the fall when someone will come around with their bushel basket and gather my fruit, but more, I look forward to the snows of winter just for the sake of knowing that in all that rain lurks an impending spring.

So, lover, come, spread a blanket and sit beneath my leafy boughs. Let me shade you, provide you comfort, scent your hair with my flowers.

Love, Your WHMB