The wisdom of the yews

By Susan Flansburg

The first snowfall of the season has weighted down the branches of the rangy yews along the north side of the house. Those branches have been bent before, and considerably. They remind me of the adage that we must learn to bend, so that we do not break.

Yes.

Bending - something yogis practice - keeps muscles supple and strong. Rigidity - what happens if we can’t bend - is much more breakable.

It’s equally important to learn expansiveness of thought, so we can come up with amazing new thoughts and ideas. So we aren’t trapped in the old ways of thinking.

This isn’t just about communications and marketing, although they both obviously benefit from fresh ideas and strategies. It’s about living a life of deep connection, empathy and service.

For my part, I try to practice bendability, accepting support when I need help, offering support as needed, accepting the fact that I will look - and feel - different afterwards.

Because, those yews?

They sigh into each other’s arms in every heavy snow. They rest atop the fence and brace along the house. And as the snow melts, they struggle to get back up. Every year it’s a bit harder, and every year they look a bit more bedraggled.

Just like us.

Choosing to soften our rigid stance allows us to expand in ways that not only feed us, but support others.

The wisdom of the yews is free for the taking. And it’s topped, this morning, with sparkling beauty never to be matched by a jeweler’s stone.