There’s a tree on the campus of this school that amazes me. It’s a lone palm tree, tall and proud, that grew from a seed embedded in the roots of a Royal Poinciana tree. Both trees are at least fifty years old and both are thriving.

I’ve been thinking a lot about those trees lately and how much they mirror my life.

Over the years, as storms struck the school, those trees stood together. The palm tree seemingly protected in the embrace of the Royal Poinciana with its glorious red flowers. I wonder, though, did the palm tree provide something for the tree my Cuban-American family knows best as the Flamboyant tree?

I’m thinking about this as I think of my spiritual growth.

As I grow, proud and strong in my newfound knowledge, I feel protected in the powerful embrace of my angels and guides, especially the guide I know as My Beloved. But what do I provide for them? What is it about my growth, our growth, actually, that keeps our guides around, helping us and guiding us? Wouldn’t it be easier to just leave us be. To let the principal of Survival of the Fittest weed out the weaker souls?

That’s not how our guides work. That’s not how Heaven works.

Just like these trees that shared their growth using the same food and water, using the same air, to strengthen as a result of their collaboration, is this idea the same with us? With this in mind, I wonder if, when we start working hand-in-hand with our Guides in Spirit, our own growth will be as strong and solid as these two trees. What I do know is that our guides are strengthened by our own personal growth. They celebrate our accomplishments from their plane of existence.

There is something that always bothered me about my Catholic upbringing. We can believe in angels and the Holy Spirit, but we can’t allow ourselves to dream of being in constant communication with those we loved so much when they shared this plane of existence with us. Why does that sound wrong to me?

Just a thought.

I’d ask Teacher for guidance, but I’d rather meditate on this with the help of my own personal guides. They’re more invested in the outcome of my growth. Besides, My Beloved is whispering in my ear right now.

Forever still, I remain,

The Dragonfly’s Student