Every Tree is Known by Its Fruit

Growing up we have always been around trees but we didn’t exactly know the names of them, or what kind of fruit grew from them. We have made swings from their branches, climbed them, turned them into tree houses, and the birds and other creatures have made them their homes, but we never think about this: They All Started Out As Saplings just like us. Everything starts out as a seed being planted in fertile soil.

We know that that’s the beginning of life; it’s where roots take place. When we look at the trees around us, we know that they have been around for a very long time by the height of it, or by counting the annual rings on the stump if it has been cut down.

Trees are very resourceful. We use them to build furniture, houses, decks, to make pencils and paper, toys, and lots of other things that we use everyday. Fruit trees produce the fruit that’s ingrafted in their DNA. Peach trees produces peaches.

Pear trees produce pears. There are so many different varieties of pears. I remember the pear tree that was in my grandparents front yard. They grew so big, round, and full of juice. They were so good.

Plum trees were plentiful in the country where I grew up. We had one on on our bank outside of our fence. They were so sweet, especially the yellow ones. The green ones were sour and good, the red ones were tart and sweet. My grandma made jellies and jams out of them. This memory takes me back to my childhood days of Summer fun. I never had to want for fruits, they were plentiful. See, growing up in the country with everything around me was a blessing. It taught me how to stay humble and to appreciate the things that I had. I am still that way.

Persimmons are fruits that grows on a tree. They are orange with black seeds, and no bigger than a nickel. They are sweet and juicy. There were a tree in my yard where I lived in 2014. When they were green I didn’t recognize them. I picked one and placed it in the sun to see what color it would turn, and low and behold it turned orange. I had fruit for years. I was so happy. I wish I could have taken the tree with me when we moved, but it was rooted and grounded in the earth.

Getting to know the trees around me was fun. I learned about different types of trees that were in my yard, and I am still learning about the trees that’s around me now. There is a big Pecan tree right beside my house in my back yard, but it doesn’t produce good pecans; they’re wormy and small. It is good for shade and a home for the little bird families, squirrels, and raccoons. Sometimes I may see a little green lizard playing on a low branch.

What kind of trees do you have living around you in your yard, or just in the neighborhood where you live? Trees are beautiful. I love looking at them wondering about all of the things they have withstood for many years. I especially love seeing their leaves change in Autumn before Fall comes and blow them away. I believe that every tree has a special story to tell, but we just have to stop and take a good look at it to find the story in it.

I am thankful to have trees around me to enjoy, and to feel the breeze they share when they wave their branches. I am thankful for the shade they provide to sit underneath on a warm day to stay cool. How are you thankful for the trees and what they provide?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section. As always, stay safe, stay blessed, and thank you for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul.