Wounded maple tree thrives in front of Quilt It! Ya Ya in Aztec, NM
A unique and delightful quilting store draws customers from far and near at 201 S. Church in Aztec, New Mexico. Called Quilt It! Ya Ya, it contains just about anything a quilter’s heart could desire.
To me, what is also fascinating about the store is the maple tree that stands in front of it. That tree has been wounded over the years. It carries its scars quite visibly. In spite of the wounds, it continues to grow new branches and leaves. It is a testimony to the will to survive, the determination to live and even to thrive.
I’ve thought of that tree a lot in the last couple of weeks as my sister faced challenging medical issues that left her in an induced coma. It took five days for her to come out of the coma, much longer than doctors anticipated. But she did emerge from it, alert and determined to get well. Her determination inspires me.
The tree reminds me that we each face our own challenges, some visible, some not. We make a choice about how to deal with those challenges. Do we give up, or do we summon the will to heal and thrive?
I am grateful to the tree in front of Quilt It! Ya Ya. Though its wounds are visible, they don’t stop the tree from continuing to grow. The tree has said Ya Ya to life! It offers hope that when we are wounded, we too can return to vibrant life.