The first summer after moving into our new home, my daughter and I walked the property to see what plants already lived there and to check which ones seemed happy and which were not.
We both noticed a spruce tree in the backyard with a slight lean. We talked about the fact that something about the tree didn’t feel right, and we chalked it up to another plant that might need extra attention.
The following summer, I noticed the tree leaning a bit more, which made me more disquieted, but I still didn’t pay much attention to that feeling.
A few weeks later, after a walk, I returned to our backyard and sat on the bench by the leaning tree.
The Tree Spoke
It was a quiet, beautiful morning, but I felt pure terror. Terror? On a bench in our backyard? What was there to feel terrified about?
I glanced at the tree and realized I was terrified of the tree. I thought the tree was talking to me. It told me we had a choice: cut it down, or it would fall on our house.
It told me it didn’t want to damage our home, but it was inevitable that it would fall.
I was tempted to ignore this feeling and wait it out, but I started thinking of how many times I had heard this still, small voice of a warning and ignored it because I didn’t want to deal with it at the time.
I also thought of the messes that happened because of that and decided to tell Del, who could do something about it.
We Listened.
Del listened when I told him what the tree told me, and although there didn’t appear to be a problem on the surface, he noticed an abnormal yellowing of a lower branch. He immediately made plans to cut down the tree.
But first, he listened and waited for the perfect day with the right wind so that the wind would help him control where it would fall.
When the right day arrived, he made a deep notch in the correct spot on the tree to direct its fall. After completing the notch, he moved to the back of the tree for the actual cutting. As he started to cut the tree, it began falling even before the cut was complete.
As the tree trunk lay on the ground, we could see that the entire back side of the tree had died, and it would most certainly have fallen in the next big storm.
Two Parts Of Listening
First, listen.
Then, take action based on what you heard.
They go together.
St. Martin And Indian Summers
In the fall, we often experience what people call Indian Summer. But another name for this kind of weather is 'Saint Martin's Summer,' which refers to St. Martin’s Day on November 11th, when the spurt of summer-like weather is “supposed” to end.
On this day, St. Martin’s Day or Martinmas is celebrated.
But what did St. Martin do to get a day named after him?
He Lstened And Acted
He listened when he met a freezing beggar and cut his cloak in half to give it to him.
He listened when he heard it was wrong to kill, and even though he was a soldier in the Roman army, he refused to fight again.
Like St Martin, we may find that what we hear means we must make a significant life change.
Or perhaps, like listening to the tree, it means there is work to be done.
Sometimes, listening may give us answers to questions we are seeking, reveal truths that have been hidden, or bring comfort in sorrow.
But one thing is always true about listening to the still, small voice within—it operates from the perspective of love.
It always leads us away from danger and directs us to the light.
The Voice In Your Head Lies
Don’t mistake the “voice in your head” for the still, small voice within. These are two different and opposite “voices.”
The voice in your head does not come from love and does not have your best interests in mind.
Instead, it leads us away from the joy in our lives, bringing us discouragement and fear.
The Still Small Voice Leads
Listen, and you can tell the difference between these two voices.
Trust in the guidance of that still small voice within.
Although what it asks of you may be uncomfortable, it always directs you to your life's safer and more inspiring path.
Take that one. You will be happy that you did.
I have a free report on how to tell the difference between the still, small voice within and the voice in your head.
A beautiful post! It resonates deeply with me. I’ve spent a number of years cultivating and strengthening that trust of my inner voice. The more I’ve acted on what I hear, the stronger and more frequent the messages have become. Now I cannot imagine living any other way. In fact, I consider this way of living an ongoing partnership with my guides and spiritual team.