Hello September!

Almost 33years ago, you, September ushered into this world the gift of a warrior – a merchant soldier into the dawn of a new season in the lives of a family stretched out on every side. The very presence of this gift as ordinary as it seemed was the complexity of how it was wrapped in the swaddling clothes of a true essence of life and liberty; the blackness of the earth it personified and the richness of the breath in her lungs.

With every rain, storm, flood, digging up and planting in, the trunk kept shooting up for the skies. With every hurricane of trial, the trunk has withstood without caving in. The branches have sprouted and learnt to sway without breaking. The leaves have learnt that both green and brown are very beautiful and a sign of change. The flowers have learnt to blossom and hold out its fruit for people to see, hold and feast. The fragrance it exudes have invited both bees and pests.

But the ROOTs, O the Roots, they have ruptured the heart of stones, torn apart the abyss, pierced through the rubbles of life and spreading its tentacles to the four corners of the earth. From the East to the West and from the North to the South, the roots have travelled, intertwining itself with the strings of kindness, erupting from the hearth of love, burning off hate and unforgiveness whilst touching lives with a simple Whatsapp message, a blog post, an Instagram post, an emoticon, a phone call, a listening ear, a word of counsel, a staying up to cry and share in one’s pain, a belle laugh over a dry joke, a scolding, a prayer and a hug with no indictment whatsoever.

33years of figuring out when the Leaves of this deep rooted tree will provide shade big enough for the hearts committed to eating from the Fruit it produces (Bowed Heads Torn Veils). 33years of figuring out how the Flowers of this tree will be handed out one flower at a time to the souls needing refreshing (Dreaming Feet). 33years of figuring out how the Trunk of this tree will continue to get its nourishment from the Roots that are intertwined with the person of the Holy Spirit to keep spreading love to the ends of the earth, one neighbor at a time.

33years of knowing this tree is tended by the Vine Dresser – to Him be the Glory, the Honour and the Majesty!

Written for the 4th of September.