Everyone knows how much I love Florida. But do you know I also love trees? While Weeping Willows have traditionally been my favorite the Spanish moss and sprawling oak tree is also very much in my heart. I wrote in my diary, when I was 10, during an overnight stay in South Carolina, about how beautiful it was – I actually remember the trees over the lake when I was writing in that diary were the reason I thought it was so beautiful. Those huge oaks with the Spanish moss and living in the south is deep in my soul. But that said, trees and warm weather aside, I have been starting to think about moving back to Pittsburgh. Not like looking for a job and packing it in yet but the thought crosses my mind every so often. There’s no doubt I miss my kids, my friends and those darn babies. Visiting usually takes care of those home-sick pangs but sometimes it just seems like maybe it’s time to start thinking about going back. When I get thoughts like that what I like to do is keep going with it and see where it goes. Like when I was interviewing for this job here in DeLand it just kept coming together ya know? So I just put those Pittsburgh thoughts back there in my head and decided to carry on with my life and see where it goes. If it’s meant to be I’ll get signs, I’ll get a job offer, something will happen. I don’t hate DeLand – I don’t hate anything – I just don’t love it here so I keep wondering if maybe I’m not supposed to be here. Shouldn’t I be loving it by now? Shouldn’t something be happening to ingratiate me?
Lori, a friend from Pittsburgh is visiting in the area and suggested we meet today in Mount Dora for an Arts Festival. I have heard lovely things about Mount Dora but have never ventured over that way. It’s in the middle of the state. I never want to go further away from the beach if I don’t have to. Mount Dora is 45 minutes inland. So anyway, now with a reason to go, friends to see and a day to look forward to I drove on over. Parked in someone’s yard for $10 and proceeded to walk into the biggest arts festival I have ever been to. Well maybe not ever…but still it was fabulous with really great art. Lori and her friend and I met for lunch, delicious food, great restaurant overlooking the water (lake) and afterwards we proceeded to walk around. After Lori and her friend left me I decided to stay and look a little longer for that special something. I wanted to buy something, a memento, something new. Initially I thought I’d buy a piece of beachy type art for this blank wall in my apartment. I’ve been looking for something for that spot for 9 months now. At one time I wanted an Egret there. But today I wasn’t finding anything at first, so I turned my attention to jewelry and thought maybe I’d buy myself a ring. Then I came across a booth with photos of beautiful southern oak trees. Giant beautiful oak trees. One of the $3000 photos had this story about oak trees beside it:
Oak trees are symbols of physical and spiritual nourishment, transformation and liberation, sustenance, spiritual growth, union and fertility. The tree is a spiritual motif and framework, a map of conception and consciousness that brings together the temporal worlds of time, space and consciousness.
Okay that’s not exactly true, I don’t remember exactly what she had posted by the tree. No photos allowed and my phone battery was dead…What she had posted was actually more beautiful than that excerpt I just copied from the internet, but that was the gist. And in that moment I knew, I knew this tree is a sign. I began the search then for an oak tree, one that I could afford, wandering up and down the streets of the arts festival. I envisioned this new artwork of a big oak tree (just one not a group) with the roots reaching down to the chair where I always sit watching TV. The roots reaching for me symbolize my search for connection with the Gods, getting my spiritual nourishment and representing my ongoing transformation into my new life all while sitting in my chair. Perfect right? A sign. I love clear signs like that. Although I knew the tree symbolized my transformation and connection to spiritual growth etc., I didn’t know if maybe the tree also represented a move to Georgia, or maybe South Carolina? Like is my love of Florida and needing to live here over? Maybe it’s a sign that the South is in my destiny just not Florida? After wandering for over an hour, and enjoying every minute of it, I knew another clear sign, there was no oak tree there for me. It was still a great day being happy with my new vision and happy to find a place in Florida that I never knew about and absolutely loved.
I stopped into Tuesday Morning, one of those bargain stores, to go the bathroom before coming home plus I thought just maybe they’d have an oak tree. You can get some really good finds in places like that, you just have to keep looking. The bathroom was out of order (not a great sign) but I still went to the wall art aisle and there it was. A picture really is worth a thousand words. Here’s what I bought:
The moral of the story. I belong in Florida. I’m not going anywhere. I love my Gods.
xoxoxo
Lynn,
A perfect choice!!!! 🙂
I thought so. You know how I love my flamingos. I named her Alice.
Lynn: you must visit the Emancipation Oak with me sometime, on the grounds of Hampton University.
I’ll put it on the list!!
I once chose the pink flamingo to be my sign from the universe. I had to change it when flamingos became the “it bird” a year or more ago. I currently don’t have a designated sign. I guess that means it’s time to choose another
OR…It’s still your sign and it means something…hmmm…???
Nah. I need a sign that’s rare enough to not be something I see every darn day. I’m considering the penny. They’ve been out of circulation here for a while. I’d like something that’s more “me” though. Maybe the penny can be my sign until I think of something that feels more exciting.