The Old Olive Tree.

On the site I am just now there stands this old olive tree. It has stood there for many years, probably through wars and all sorts of difficult times. In latter years it has been a part of this campsite probably hardly noticed by the many who pass it on bike or in car or like me walking. 

It will have been surrounded by the sounds of laughter and sadness. Maybe in the past lovers sat in the shade beneath its branches.

Now it is old some of its branches are beginning to decay and drop to the ground. But in its ancient state it still contains a beauty that I have tried to capture on my iPad . I used Procreate and the pencil tool to make I hope a pencil drawing. It looks a bit sharper for real as is always the case when transferred to here and Facebook.

I became very well acquainted with this tree over the hours I have sat drawing it. it will forever be my friend and a thing of beauty.

There is the tale I used once from my pulpit. Forgive I am not preaching.

I showed my congregation, around 900 people a twenty pound note. Not easy on the salary I was earning at the time. I invited them to raise their hands if they would like to own this note. I am sure every hand in the church was raised.

I then crushed it in the palm of my hand screwing it into a ball. Now who still wants it. Again every hand went up.

I then came out of the pulpit and threw it on the ground and pounded under my shoe the dirt from my sole transferring to it.

'Who wants it now?" I asked. Still every hand went up.

I then spilt some water on it. Still every hand was raised.

The bottom line was no matter what I did to this note it did not decrease in value. It was still £20.

Life can crumple us and grind us down. We make wrong and right decisions. We sometimes feel low and unloved and unwanted. We sometimes feel lost and cannot see any brightness in tomorrow.

We grow old and wrinkly and grey. No matter what has happened or what will happen, we never lose our value.

Each person reading this is special and still has worth and your value has not decreased. 

Never forget that.

Have a great day.