Strong As An Oak Tree, But I Didn’t Know My Own Strength
I never knew how strong I was until I didn’t have any other choice. There was a clear turning point after discovering my leg tumor when I decided I wanted to live, by any means necessary. After I had cried the ugliest tears I could cry and thought the darkest thoughts I could think, I asked God to preserve my life. I’ve never valued life more than in the moments I feared I might lose it.
One day I was feeling blue and decided to reach out to an old friend who had survived cancer and gone on to live a full, happy life. She sent me the most beautiful prayer and told me that, no matter the diagnosis, God was in control and would heal me if I believed. At that moment I knew only faith would get me through my illness in one piece. My mom, aunt, grandmother and other loved ones have reinforced this same message in their own way daily.
I recently received a get well card from a family friend that eloquently describes what strength looks like during hard times. The poem inside the “Oak Tree” card reads:
A mighty wind blew night and day. It stole the oak tree’s leaves away, then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark until the oak was tired and stark. But still the oak tree held its ground while other trees fell all around. The weary wind gave up and spoke, “How can you still be standing, Oak?” The oak tree said, “I know that you can break each branch of mine in two, carry every leaf away, shake my limbs and make me sway. But I have roots stretched in the earth, growing stronger since my birth. You’ll never touch them, for you see, they are the deepest part of me. Until today, I wasn’t sure of just how much I could endure. But now I’ve found, with thanks to you, I’m stronger than I ever knew.”
Shortly after I read the card, I received a Christmas gift in the mail from my father and stepmother. It’s one of my favorite gifts ever — a paint set that includes an assortment of acrylic paint colors, an easel, canvases and a variety of brushes. I’m no Bob Ross (may he Rest In Peace), but I love to create art. Regardless of how the end result looks, exercising my creative muscles calms me and gives me strength. It’s like a form of meditation for me. Below is a winter scene I painted, inspired by “The Oak Tree.”
When I reflect on all of the challenges I’ve faced, and how I’ve managed to persevere, I feel blessed. There are many, many times I could have been broken, but God had a greater plan for me. Even when I felt my worst, I had something to be thankful for — another breath, a supportive family, a comfortable home. I’ve watched women with far more advanced conditions head to hospice care and still keep their faith. If they can hold on to their roots in hard times, I can too.
Like what you read? Click the ❤️ below. Have questions or feedback? Comment below or email me at WiggleToeBlog@gmail.com.
