Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Five Strong.

We've got a pretty symbolic tree here. If you were to walk around this tree, you'd see that there are probably about 8-10 of these main shoots heading up from the base. It resembles, to me, a true family tree. Take our family, for instance. There are five of us kids. All, for the most part, coming from the same base. Like most families, we're not the cookie-cuter variety. We come some different shapes and sizes. We have our likes and dislikes. Some have said, looking at us five, "Oh you're a lot like her, oh you and him have so much in common." When I look back to Mom and Dad, I see qualities of each of them ingrained in me and the others. Some so positive, it makes me so proud. At other times, some non-flattering aspect will show its head, and I just try to look away. But it's who we are; where we've come from. 
Pretty simple really. 
Five different.
Five unique.
Five strong.
Mom and Dad, good work.
Five, still reaching for the sky.

19 comments:

  1. Nice analogy. Our family has three offshoots but we all went our separate directions.

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  2. indeed. i'm the youngest of 8 and have my 2 remaining sisters with me this week. i hear our deceased mother, father, sister come through in traces. :)

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  3. I'll bet it's a beautiful tree.

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  4. This has such a familiar ring to it for me. Although there were only three of us instead of five, we are all completely different in our shapes, in our personalities, and in our likes and dislikes. I'd say mom and dad did a great job with us too!

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  5. Old trees are fascinating! Here is one of the most amazing I've seen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81rbol_del_Tule

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  6. Love that tree and the family comparison . . . five us us kids, too, in ours, all different and all similar in some ways and all grateful to our mom and dad. xx

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  7. Reminds me of how complicated some family trees can be.

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  8. I do like your terminology "cookie-cuter variety" rather than "cookie-cutter." I'm sure you're all cute as can be.

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  9. I have only one sister. We are both tall. That is about the only similarity I can think of.

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  10. BTW, a high school classmate (and basketball team member) was a teacher up there. His name is Patrick and after retiring he works as a fishing guide. Know him or his wife Cindy?

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    1. Man, there are lots of lakes and streams in the ol' state of Maine... more info?

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    2. He lives in Gorham. Patrick O'Shea.

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  11. I won't be able to pass a clump of trees today without thinking about family.

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  12. Ah yes, I do see similarities among my parents and their three kids...but very little among the three of us. I think the three kids are very different from one another...but outsiders might disagree.

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  13. Super post Birdman.. It's the differences that make it challenging and at the same time so rewarding.

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  14. Another richly textured photo.

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