I once heard, a long time ago, an adage, the elephant is best eaten, one bit at a time; and it has stuck with me since. Several months ago, during a consult with a client at our clinic, the client, whom I will call Kathy, responded to my question with an experience that was akin to the elephant adage and how the adage and her experience speak to daily health and well being.
I was explaining the processes of healing to Kathy when she responded that my explanations reminded her about what she endured with her lemon tree. Kathy had bought and planted a lemon tree in what appeared to be a suitable spot in her backyard. Yet, with care and attention, the lemon tree refused to thrive; it was dying. Refusing to give up, Kathy uprooted the tree and moved it to another spot in her backyard.
The lemon tree was lifeless; it looked beyond hope, with no evidence of recovery. Having the feeling the new spot would benefit the lifeless lemon tree, Kathy began to once again nurture the tree. She pruned off the dead leaves, cut off the dead twigs and small branches; she fed it with nourishing mulch, water, made sure it was getting plenty of air and sun and gave it daily attention. Kathy continuously cared for the lemon tree; refusing to give up on it. For a while, it looked to be a futile effort, the lemon tree did not respond to Kathy’s efforts. Then one day, a tiny bud appeared on the main trunk. The tree had begun to create an offshoot branch. Then came others, reaching out of the body, it made limbs that started to stretch out and form luscious green leaves. The lemon tree was growing and blossoming. It had returned from the dead!
It grew tall and wide and began to yield fruits. Kathy continues to nourish her flourishing lemon tree with the right nutrients, water, air, plenty of sun and every year, this tree bears big, plump, juicy lemons for her to use and to share with others.
When Kathy finished telling me about her relentless effort to revive her lemon tree, I remembered the elephant adage. Just like eating the elephant one bite at a time, Kathy’s lemon tree had required, patience, attention, and tenacity on a regular basis. The “elephant” of the lemon tree was “eaten” with Kathy’s efforts. As Kathy relayed her lemon tree story to me, I saw a woman with tenacity, courage, and diligence. I saw a woman with the willingness and desire to work and achieve her desired goals. I saw the lemon tree in Kathy and in Kathy, the lemon tree.
Like the lemon tree, Kathy’s health and well being are restored and bearing daily healthful fruits. And in simile to the elephant and the lemon tree, we are accomplishing Kathy’s health goals and desires, one day at a time.
We are like trees; we get planted, we need to be nurtured and cared for in order to grow into the flourishing trees we are meant to be.