We went for a walk on a nearby trail. It was a glorious day and the old railroad bed wound around giving glimpses of the stream. Then the path followed along a cut in the rocks. Amazingly, trees were growing out of the rock wall plunging roots into cracks barely seen and somehow growing strong there while sending down roots in search of good soil and more nutrients. The scene is somewhat surreal as ferns grow and tufts of grasses hang on too. In the shadow of all this unexpected life I wondered what tales of pain and growth would be told by rock and plant as they cling together.

Life. We so need each other for nourishment and growth. Sometimes we seem as different from each other as rock and plant but growth happens if we allow ourselves to give and take.