It's a beautiful day at the arboretum. I've come to talk with the trees. Today, they tell me about why we're here and what our purpose is. And one tree shares an important lesson on making decisions.
A trip to an arboretum
Memorial Day, 2:21pm.
My husband and I have made the short trip from Davenport to Dubuque, IA, to visit the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. I've come to talk with some trees.
The gardens and grounds are quite beautiful. Given the time of year, there is a lot that is in bloom. It's really peaceful and pretty, and it is an absolutely beautiful day. The skies are blue, there's a nice breeze, and it's in the low 70s.
While walking among the flowers and plants, I pray and ask Heavenly Father if I should ask all trees the same questions, and get a yes. The Spirit tells me, "Ask them who you are."
I've brought my usual items for talking with the trees. My Rumpl blanket to sit on, an LL Bean folded blanket for my lap to rest my laptop on, and my MacBookPro open to a blank Obsidian page. I type the conversations as I receive them.
My husband finds a nice shady spot to rest and listen to a book, and I head off to sit under my first tree.
Who are we? Why are we here?
I sit under a large Shagbark Hickory tree, and get settled in.
As usual, I start with a prayer. As I start to pray, I see the tree as bright, white light. Same form, but no color, just white light. It is beautiful.
I ask the tree: Who am I?
"Ah, child, you are the daughter of a king," says a kindly male voice. "You are one with all, and in all, and through all, just as he is."
"You are here to have an experience. An experience of growth and progression. It is necessary for your growth to be here. Do not deride or waste this time. It is critically important. And yet it is beautiful and free and life-giving and joyful the the nth degree! Expand! Grow! Shout! Rejoice in all that is."
"For you are so loved, that God made this universe just for you. Just for your heart. Just for your space. That you may come to know who you are, to remember, to discover, to expand, to grow."
"Oh he loves you so very much, you cannot even begin to comprehend it. If you could, you would explode with joy!"
A hymn comes to mind, although the lyrics I sing are slightly different than the original:
Rejoice, the Lord is King, the God of Heaven and Earth.
Nations lift up your voice and praise His name, with mirth!
Lift up you hearts, lift up you voice, lift up your eyes I say rejoice.
Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice, lift up your words and sing, Rejoice!
The tree continues. "God has made you with a purpose. The earth is like a sandbox made for little children. It has boundaries and laws to govern it. The quicker you learn the laws, the quicker you will advance."
I sense a sadness from the tree, and there is a pause.
"Alas. I know why his heart is sad. So many deny him. They reject all that is good in favor of the lowly and degrading. They do not know there is a better way."
The tree perks up.
"But you know! You and others. You have been through the lowly and you know there is a better way. Why not sing of that goodness? Share it far and wide! Remind people who they are. Surely they will listen."
I sense sadness again.
"Ah....but I have been here a long time. And time is longer than you know. I have seen countless generations. Most do not listen."
The tree sighs.
"It is the nature of man to despise all that is good. He must be taught by one who sees, by one who knows. His heart must be pricked so that he can see the misery he is in, and seek for a better way. It is there. The better, that is. It is always there, simply waiting, for man to see it."
"That is all that is required, you know. To look for it. This ..... oh.... well, I can't say it directly.... I'm sorry.... but this is all that is required. Simply look for what you want. It matters not if you can't see it right now. Just look, and it will appear. It must."
"I fear that I have said too much. I am not used to talking with humans."
The tree becomes very excited.
"There were those who talked to us trees! Years and years ago, eons, before this earth .... oh, there I go again.... well, there were those who talked with us! Those days were glorious, and I cannot wait for their return. Perhaps they are returning, for you are here."
I feel that I need to redirect him, for I sense that he will start rambling if I don't.
"Excuse me," I say. "Thank you for all you have shared with me. I do enjoy our time together. I was given one question to ask you - who am I? Is there anything else you want to add to that question?"
"No, child. You are wise. You already know who you are. Remind others of this truth, too. Maybe then more humans will talk with me."
After a few moments, I thank the tree for our time together, and wander off for another conversation.
Our ultimate purpose in life
I find a pretty tree to sit under. It's a Peking Lilac. The tree's name makes sense, given that there are green flowery parts growing from the ends of the branches that look like a lilac bush.
I settle in, say a prayer, and ask this tree: Who am I?
"Well, you already know that you are a daughter of a king, for you have told me as such. Do not others know this truth as well? Alas, I know that they do not. Okay. Let us start at the beginning."
"In the beginning, you were created by a loving Heavenly Father, as you call him, to bring you joy. That is your ultimate purpose. Joy. Joy is found through expansion and growth."
(2 Ne 2:25 reads: Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.)
"Growth requires a space, a place, a time, and compression. You have been compressed from your eternal being to live in this physical aspect of place so that you may learn for yourself to choose the good from the bad."
"Polarity is necessary for your growth at this stage in your development. You are here as a god seed, to learn to choose. With each choice comes new choices. Choose, choose, choose. Choose as seemeth you fit. Choose that which will lead you to where you want to go. Do not choose that which will lead otherwise and otherwhere. It really is that simple."
Making decisions is more important that you might think
"Now, I know that man complicates things. How do I know this? Because I watch. I see. I know. I am part of that which is outside polarity, outside your time and space, although to your perception, I am in your time and space. This matters not."
"What matters is that you humans seem to have a difficult time making decisions. The best way to know the outcomes of a choice is to simply make the choice and take the action. It really is that simple, as I said already. Please, just choose."
"When you choose, you progress. When you refuse to choose, you become stagnant, and eventually will regress. For such is the nature of your world. Again, polarity. You're either moving and growing, or stagnant and dying. Choose."
"You were given this beautiful space, this earth, with many things from which to choose. You know the way, for you have chosen enough to know that there is only one true way that will bring the eternity you seek."
"Your heart is pure and cleansed, for you have made the necessary covenants with God, done the work, repented, and accepted your Savior as yours. You are now his, and now must continue his work to continue to progress."
"Find joy and goodness in all you do, for it is there. Seek not for darkness. Seek only for light. Bring that light to others. Share these stories, these meetings. They may seem frivolous to you, and not make much sense, but that is not important."
'What is important is to choose to obey. To choose to follow. God knows all, and you trust him, so follow him. It really is that simple.
Making decisions can be easy
Learning to make decisions is a habit. Most people learned how to obey orders, not how to make decisions.
Follow the wisdom shared from the trees, and just start choosing. Start with the simple and small things. Like anything else, practice leads to improvement.
I know that as you develop the habit of making decisions for yourself, your self-confidence will grow, and so will you ability to reach your goals. You'll feel better because you're deciding and taking action for yourself, which gives you power.
Choose. It really is that simple.
