The Oak Tree

Lighthouse_7

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this before but it's beautiful.

“The Oak Tree”

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 trees 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, and thanks to you,

I’m stronger then I ever knew.”

Author Not Named

MAJW

Isn't this beautiful?
My daughter found this and sent it to me two years ago when I was first diagnosed....I love it and posted it here 2 years ago....so glad you put it out there again...I think it describes us so well..

Thanks for sharing,
Hugs,
Nancy

missrenee

MAJW said:

Isn't this beautiful?
My daughter found this and sent it to me two years ago when I was first diagnosed....I love it and posted it here 2 years ago....so glad you put it out there again...I think it describes us so well..

Thanks for sharing,
Hugs,
Nancy

This is the first time I've ever seen this
How lovely--sounds just like all of us here.

Thank you, Lighthouse

Hugs, Renee

Lighthouse_7

missrenee said:

This is the first time I've ever seen this
How lovely--sounds just like all of us here.

Thank you, Lighthouse

Hugs, Renee

Your welcome Renee and Nancy
Your welcome Renee and Nancy my daughter also gave me this in card form but I just found it again. It sure does sound like all of us!
Hugs,
Wanda

chenheart

Lighthouse_7 said:

Your welcome Renee and Nancy
Your welcome Renee and Nancy my daughter also gave me this in card form but I just found it again. It sure does sound like all of us!
Hugs,
Wanda

Your Poem reminded me of something I wrote back in 2004!!!
May 28, 2010 - 10:44am
Dearest Kindred Spirits,

Not long after I was diagnosed in 2003, I joined CSN. One of the friends I made here was a published author of mystery books, Brenda C. Corbin, screenname Ceezhar. As we so often do at CSN we connected right away; hers was lung cancer, but of course, empathy and friendship is not limited by the nature of whichever beast we are battling. She asked me in 2004 if I would share with her in writing a poem. She had recently started an online mentoring site, and felt connected, as she said, "Survivor to Survivor, Hand to Hand, Heart to Heart." She gave me the premise of the poem, and we exchanged emails until we felt we had the poem just right. It was copyrighted in 2004, much to my delight!

Ceezhar sadly eventually lost her battle~yet she remained strong, gracious, and very much a Southern Lady to the end.

With so many of us still finding our way to the boards,I sometimes feel guilty for not having the time to address each and every one of you. I hope, through the words of this poem, you will find yourself safe in the tree,surrounded by friends, and that from your vantage point you can see a future free from cancer~ for everyone. My heart is with all of us~ survivors and caregivers alike.

"THE CANCER TREE" was conceived through love and heartfelt encouragement, survivor to survivor. With poems written between two cancer survivors, trust was born and a friendship developed. If you have cancer, you're not a victim, you are a survivor! As long as you have breath, regardless of your diagnosis, you are still surviving.

THE CANCER TREE

For those of us sitting in Cancer's Big Tree
the decision to climb up was not worry-free
But new growth was nurtured by warm, loving hands
the roots of the tree anchored deep in the land
Up high in these limbs we are strangely secure
where we once felt unsteady, we feel strong, we feel sure
~~Claudia (chenheart) XOXO

I caught a branch and climbed that tree
and wished YOU were sitting there high up with me
I caught another limb with my other hand,
and twirled to the trunk, and then shimmied down
I thought, if Chen tried doing what I just did,
I hope she wouldn't fall
Then I remembered, if she really tried
and she missed that branch
I'd just reach out and catch her...that's all!
~~Love ya,
Ceezhar (Brenda)

The branch you held onto while climbing that tree,
was already filled with the essence of me
I watched as you climbed, could you not feel my smile?
I knew you were worried, it felt like a mile!
The blossoms that cushioned you bounced back in shape,
and fragranced the air, as you mimicked an ape!
I know we could both have made this climb alone
but to make it together...seeds of trust have been sown!
~~Chenheart

A seed, you say? Yes, we planted it together
I'll bet it will grow, bloom, and last forever
No hoe or spade, to keep it alive,
unnecessary things aren't needed to survive
Only understanding, a shoulder, and bits of love
will make a small sprout grow high up above

So sprouts we were, when the "C" visits came,
now giant oaks we've become, with cancer to blame
But wait, look up there, and down all around,
at the branches with survivors, and new sprouts on the ground
I see that they're growing, with help from each other...
a hug, a word, we're all sister and brother
See, there's that hand that caught us, and made our climb eased,
it's big, it's gentle, Oh Chen...it's God, and He knows about this disease!
~~Ceezhar XXOO

Copyright 2004 by
Claudia Cable & Brenda C. Corbin

Be Stronger Than, Not Angry At

chenheart

Lighthouse_7 said:

Your welcome Renee and Nancy
Your welcome Renee and Nancy my daughter also gave me this in card form but I just found it again. It sure does sound like all of us!
Hugs,
Wanda

Your Poem reminded me of something I wrote back in 2004!!!
Double Post...sorry!

Bella Luna

I have to say, this poem
I have to say, this poem captures what Survivors end up learning about themselves while on their journey. Thank you for the share it was an uplifting and beautiful read.
Ines

MAJW

Bella Luna said:

I have to say, this poem
I have to say, this poem captures what Survivors end up learning about themselves while on their journey. Thank you for the share it was an uplifting and beautiful read.
Ines

WOW!
Awe inspiring, Chen....amazing how this horrific, ugly disease can produce such beauty....

Keep 'em coming, sisters!
Here's to beauty in the face of ugliness!
Hugs,
Nancy

Lighthouse_7

MAJW said:

WOW!
Awe inspiring, Chen....amazing how this horrific, ugly disease can produce such beauty....

Keep 'em coming, sisters!
Here's to beauty in the face of ugliness!
Hugs,
Nancy

Chen this is so beautiful!
Chen this is so beautiful! I'm glad that the poem reminded you of this.
Thanks so much for sharing it.
Hugs,
Wanda

ms.sunshine

Lighthouse_7 said:

Chen this is so beautiful!
Chen this is so beautiful! I'm glad that the poem reminded you of this.
Thanks so much for sharing it.
Hugs,
Wanda

All the poems are wonderful
So inspirational, uplifting. When one reads you get a feeling, "I can make it, I will do this." Thanks for the encouraging words.

skipper54

ms.sunshine said:

All the poems are wonderful
So inspirational, uplifting. When one reads you get a feeling, "I can make it, I will do this." Thanks for the encouraging words.

This is one of the great
This is one of the great parts about coming to this site!

natly15

MAJW said:

WOW!
Awe inspiring, Chen....amazing how this horrific, ugly disease can produce such beauty....

Keep 'em coming, sisters!
Here's to beauty in the face of ugliness!
Hugs,
Nancy

I'll drink to that nancy.
I'll drink to that nancy. Both poems are beautiful.