The things that give us hope are right in front of us.
I didn’t really pay much attention to it at first.
But bit by bit, I started to see that there was something special about the little apple tree across the street.
First, I noticed its cheerful white blossoms that always seemed to brighten my day.
I’d see them as I gazed out my living room window, or when I passed by on a walk.
The blooms were a little sign of hope after a harsh winter.
When spring turned to summer, the apples appeared, and that’s when things got really interesting.
First, there was the young girl who arrived on her bicycle one sunny afternoon. She lingered for a while on the street in front of the apple tree. It seemed she might have some trouble with her bike.
Then, after looking quickly all around, she hopped off her bicycle, grabbed an apple from the tree and sped off with her treasure in hand.
On a different day, I saw a man who was doing some work for a neighbour. He leaned against the back of his truck, taking a break from his tasks to savour an apple from the tree. The look on his face seemed to say that he felt on top of the world, and it made me smile to see his enjoyment.
More than once as I looked out my living room window, I saw an older man and woman each visit the tree separately. Each had the same respectful approach – they would carefully walk around the tree, scanning the ground below it, only taking a few apples that had fallen to the ground.
I had seen the man before – from a chat we’d had on one of my neighbourhood walks. I knew that life had not always been kind to him, so I loved seeing him with a special treat to enjoy.
Today, as I look at the little apple tree with new appreciation and think about the people who are drawn to it, I’m thankful for its quiet lessons. Like so many of us, the little apple tree has had to weather the storms that have come its way. It has bent and swayed, sometimes losing a branch or two, but has stayed strong, and every year it continues to bloom.
The tree is a reminder that even in challenging times, we can stop and take a moment to appreciate life’s little joys and simple pleasures.
It has taught me that often, the things that give us hope are right in front of us. And sometimes, they’re right across the street.
