On a snowy hillside in Hokkaido, Japan, three trees stand close together: two tall and sturdy, one small and delicate. Locals refer to them as the “Tree of the Child and the Parents.” In the middle of winter’s hush, they seem to lean toward one another, shaped by wind and time—but still standing together.
In this quiet scene, I saw the shape of love. The kind that holds us through the coldest seasons. The kind we grow from.
Today, I’m grateful for the quiet shelter of those who stood beside me when I was still learning to stand.
