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Glen Moss Falls trail - Stowe, Vermont-USA
Photo Credit - Vicky Edgerly 2018

I Took a Walk the other day along the Glen Moss Falls trail in Stowe Vermont, USA. When I reached the final incline leading to the top of the falls, I was struck by the beauty of all the tree roots along the path that were exposed. (see picture)  I felt like the trees themselves were concerned about the safety and comfort of all the human foot travelers.  It was as if they had an intelligence of their own and selflessly offered up their roots to be used as footholds for our safe passage up the steep slope along the ledge. I couldn't help but wonder how many thousands upon thousands of feet had been supported by these same roots over the years. I was truly amazed and felt grateful that they were there for me!

Did You Know that trees of the same species in a forest have a sophisticated network of root systems that support each other as a community? They do!  Not only do they give each other structural support but they have the ability, through very sensitive root tips, to identify their own species when they encounter other roots underground and can actually pass food (sugar molecules) to their young as well as sick and diseased trees.  Wow! What a valiant show of community support! (Learn more about this phenomenon  HERE)

But What Does This Have to Do With ME?
     Mother Nature just blows me away.  We could all learn so much from her if we would only take her more seriously.  So let's consider ROOTS and how they can relate to us humans.


     We use the term 'roots' while describing where we come from, as in, where we were born, who our family was and/or where we grew up.  We can also apply the term to where any of our various 'beginnings' began (such as where we first learned to love music before becoming a musician ie. "I got my musical roots from listening to the Beatles with my best friend back in the 60's")

     A lot of us will look back to our roots and recognize the continued support we get from our 'beginnings' as we traverse our entire lives.  Some will always pay homage to the way our parents raised us or to the tight-knit communities of our youth, secure in the knowledge that they provided the support we needed to grow and develop into the amazing adults we have become.
   
     But for many, this is not the case.  Many people see nothing but pain, sorrow and hardship when they look back at their roots and cannot possibly fathom how their difficult childhood experiences could possibly offer any type of 'support' in the here and now, so they spend lots of time and energy trying to hide, run from and/or cover up their roots.

Let Your Roots Show!

     It saddens me when I encounter someone who wants to denounce their roots. I get that there is pain in our past...I get that some come from abuse or neglect or even carry a certain amount of 'embarrassment' for their socially humble beginnings.   There are so many reasons for us to feel 'victimized' by what has happened in our lives or by what other people have visited upon us, this is certainly nothing new and unfortunately, will continue to be the case for generations to come.

     What I am suggesting here is utilizing the concept of ACCEPTANCE as opposed to DENIAL.  I know that lots of folks have spent years expending great efforts to 'over come their roots' and that is all important work for sure.  But what if the trick to overcoming actually lies in ACCEPTING and EMBRACING?
What if it was as simple as teaching our brains to believe something different about our experience?  What if WE could actually use those painful beginnings...those roots that are part of us as a system of support for growing into the person we are now, and beyond to the person we wish to become?  What if?

Ok But HOW?

     It's pretty wide spread knowledge that our own thoughts create our experience in this life and that a person whose cup is 'half full' as opposed to 'half empty' is able to achieve a more peaceful, happier lifestyle. But how on earth does someone who has lived with repeated abuse begin to see the world as shiny and bright when all their brain has for past reference is pain and sorrow?   While it's not an easy process for sure, it is a simple one.  RE-train the brain...

     Consider your thought patterns first.  Just simply notice them.  Do you ever make statements like this:  "I have trouble staying in long-term relationships because my mother abandoned me as a child"???
Or:  "I've always been unlucky with money just like my parents and theirs before them.  I think it's bad luck that runs in the family"

     EVERY TIME we say something like this either out loud or quietly in our minds, we are giving that 'story' permission to continue to be true! There is a way out but we have to be willing to do the work.  We have to love ourselves enough to want a better life.

     We start by singling out one 'story' that we want to change.  So, for example, the person with abandonment issues might try this:

Call up the old belief and replace it with a new, more empowering one such as "Because my mother abandoned me as a child, I have learned to pay closer attention to my own behaviors with those that I love and have learned to love openly and completely"

Or: "Because I was able to witness my parents fret over never 'having enough'  I took on a strong determination to find the keys to overcoming that scarcity mentality.  I took on the belief that 'I always have plenty' and I do!"

>>>As is true with anything, the more you practice, the better you become at it.  So choose one 'story' to work on at first and repeat your NEW belief over and over each and every day and soon you will start to notice changes in your life.  Once you see even the slightest change in yourself, you then take this 'new story' on as TRUTH.  Don't give up!

     In this way, we can actually embrace our roots and use them for the support system they were divinely designed to be! Everything we've gone through and every person we've had relationships with have been presenting us with amazing opportunities to discover just who we are and what we are capable of!  So why would we want to deny those humble and/or painful beginnings?  Why wouldn't we want to honor our roots by showing the world how we have grown because of our past challenges?  In this way, we continue Nature's Way of creating an even more intricate root system that will inspire and support others for generations to come!

Much love and gratitude,
Vicky

Contact Info:

Vicky Edgerly
White Elephant Wisdom LLC
info@whiteelephantwisdom.com
www.WhiteElephantWisdom.com

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