As I do my regular early morning routine of poking my head outside to check on the day, I notice with great excitement that it is a rather windy morning. Oh good, one of my favorite sort of days.

In turning to the weather and Mother nature often, I find inspiration. The wind is one of my most stirring elements.

There is a monstrous maple in my back yard. This tree was diagnosed by an unprofessional 10 years ago as dying and that it should be cut down. Ummm, don’t think so. Really, we’re all dying just a bit everyday aren’t we, yet that is not cause enough for termination.

This tree in its ever so majestic manner, this morning and on every windy occasion, just bends and flows with the gusts. There is no resistance. The wind provides a way in which the dead branches become dislodge and I have a gift of fire wood. The removal of red and yellow frost kissed leaves that will gladly be raked up. The tree does not weep by the removal of something that no longer serves it? The wind really is the trees friend.

So few people get the chance to hear what the wind sounds like as it races

through a tree. The rumble as if it’s a train.

Sometimes there are changes in our life that unknowingly to us, do not serve us. Through this tree I am reminded to be as it is; ebb and flow. Sometimes we need to surrender our resistance.

In my running days the wind was my greatest lesson. Hills, no problem. Rain, loved it. Snow, beautiful. I have to admit, it was a windy day that would bring the highest level of challenge to me. “Ok, come on, bring it on. You and me”. If you could, imagine a giant hand placed on your forehead. This hand gently placed there would, would provide just a bit of resistance. Sometimes it’s to test physical ability. Sometimes it’s to test what your made up of on the inside, your spirit.

Perhaps it’s not the turning of umbrellas inside out or messed up hair styles that is what really annoys people about a windy day. Rather its the change that the wind brings.

With a keen interest in the whether (my bucket list….spend a week with a storm chaser) I now know that the wind brings change. So as I continue to listen to change unfolding outside my door, I look to the day with great anticipation.