Wordless May

The two lines that really jump out at me are "Dear Jesus, make me simple / strong as trees to sway."

I often feel that various factors, not the least of which being my own mind, conspire to complicate my life and, more specifically, the way I respond to situations. And while introspection and thoughtfulness are important, one can outthink oneself. As T.S. Eliot said, "In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse."

There is a time and place for simplicity. What kind? The line invokes Jesus's help, and Jesus's was, essentially, a simple message about how to treat people. The line reminds me that while analysis is important, one should not argue oneself out of a position that one simply knows deep down to be right.

The line "strong as trees to sway" reminds us that often strength is not about monolithic rigidity, but a capacity to compromise. And just as trees bend in the wind, thereby remaining unbroken, so should people realize that in difficult situations, it is an ability to adapt rather than a refusal to change that permits them to survive.