Sweetness

Sweet Gum Balls © Yvonne Cornell, 2013

Botanical Inspiration #10: We have four Sweetgum trees that stand like sentinels at the front of our house. In early spring, they litter the lawn with their spiky fruit. When our boys were little and shed too many tears from stepping barefoot on their hard spikes, we considered taking the trees down. I know — awful, right!? Luckily, each year passed and we never removed those trees. They are huge now, and in summer they shade us from the valley heat and in the winter, they lose their leaves to let the morning light tumble in through their bare branches. Our love for these Sweetgum trees has grown so strong that we cabled the tallest of branches to secure them in heavy storms. I don’t see prickly balls any more — only sweet gum drops and loving limbs. Sweetness in daily living is so underrated. Be sweet to one another and watch how all the pricklies become less visible.