The Magnolia Tree



Do you have a favourite tree or plant?  I’m no gardener – plants tend to die when they see me coming – but one thing I truly love is magnolia trees.  Here in Canada, they don’t much resemble what my friends in the southern US states would call magnolias, but they’re still lovely and beautiful for their short season.  I’ve been fortunate to enjoy these trees in my own yard in both our previous home and our current one. 


Nearly ten years ago, it was an incredibly happy day in my life when I realized that our new home included a lovely little magnolia tree.  It wasn’t the type you typically see in our area – creamy blossoms with pink hearts – but a darker plum-coloured version which I’ve never seen elsewhere.  It wasn’t readily visible from our window on this larger property, but I went to visit it often and eagerly awaited its blooms each spring.




A year or so later, my honey brought home a wonderful gift in early spring – a lovely little magnolia that wasn’t thriving in the landscaping yard where he worked.  This one again was unique, with more of a daisy-style flower in the classic cream and pink.  He planted it where I could easily see it from the living room window, and I loved it too. 








Sadly, both of these marvelous trees were left behind when we moved a couple years ago, but it wasn’t long after our early-spring move that I realized we’d inherited a pretty little magnolia tree with those classic creamy blooms.  It’s easily visible from several windows in our home and created a beautiful sea of perfect blooms. 



This year, however, the tree is struggling.  It’s had a rough season of unexpected warm spells followed by nasty chills and frost, and I even had to shoo off a squirrel who thought the emerging buds might be tasty.  The tree is starting to bloom now, and it shows the effects of its difficult season.  There are a couple of near-perfect blooms but the majority offer proof to a rough start.  There are torn leaves already browned before blooming, blooms missing leaves, and some which are just reluctant to open.   It’s doing the best it can in the circumstances. 




I love it anyways.  Despite the struggles it’s faced, my little magnolia tree is still putting out its best effort to cheer me and all who pass it by.  Perhaps it knows that this year’s best effort isn’t what last year’s was and feels the sorrow, but there will be another opportunity for it to shine next year.




Isn’t this just like us as humans?  We’re all struggling right now with unwanted and unexpected changes in our world.  We’re showing the wear-and-tear of isolation – physically, mentally and emotionally.  Did you notice, though, that we are all still blooming in our own way, despite torn, browned and missing leaves?  Some of us are more reluctant to open up, and others are just putting out there that “this is where I am”.  It’s all ok – wherever you are in that.  And soon, there will be another opportunity for you to shine.  In the meantime, just like my magnolia tree, keep doing the best you can. 

That’s the lesson in this one.

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