Under Duress

Strong winds blow, revealing the silvery leaves beneath the surface of the old Chestnut tree. Long it has stood the winds and rain and continued to bear fruit every season. Great was the faith of the one who buried the fragile seed underground and protected the first shoot that emerged so long ago. Long was the period of waiting for an immensely strong and beautiful tree to emerge. How perfect was the patience, how great an investment, the nurturing. How satisfying the result.