Trust: Needing Roots

The other day, I did a creative experiment: Make marks showing what happens when you try to trust the divine.

My consciousness is in green. I start out steadily enough, then I get distracted by the sparkly popping things in the air and head towards them. I am trusting-trusting-trusting and then the air gets so thin and the sparkly things so thick that suddenly I realize I'm not trusting and I fall to earth. Icarus, anyone?

I looked again at the image. "Shallow roots, that's my problem," I thought.

I went on a riverboat ride and was entranced by the trees along the bank with their roots exposed. The water had taken the soil away from these glorious tangles but they were clearly still doing their jobs: the trees stood straight and tall, reaching toward the sun.

Wondering about roots, I read

The root system of a tree performs many vital functions. In winter, it is a store-house for essential food reserves needed by the tree to produce spring foliage. Roots absorb and transport water and minerals from the soil to the rest of the tree. Roots also anchor the portion of the tree above ground. It is important to keep the portion above ground healthy to ensure an adequate food supply for the roots to continue their important functions.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02926.html



Something to absorb and transport nutrients sounds like just what I need. But how do I keep the portion above ground healthy?

More reading:

1. Room to grow
2. Steady temperature
3. Adequate water
4. Adequate light
5. Proper nutrients
   http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Healthy-Plant
   

Aha! After last month's post on finding purpose, I have been paying attention to who I am. It seems I ought not be fighting that, not my time of life. So how does a bookish introvert serve? I hope by learning and thinking and putting it together and sharing it with others. It's all I can think to do, though it isn't full of sparkly poppings.

Here is what arrived;

(The first time I thought this through, the "physical" column was missing. I have enjoyed some thought-spinning over whether this is defensive—due to physical disability—or whether being oblivious to physical needs contributed to illness, or both.)

This list can guide my exploration of the idea of trust.

Until next time, I will be experimenting with the idea of "room to grow."

See why I like making art? It's like a doorway to a secret garden.