Coconut Palm and Cherry Tree

I am a tall and slender palm
Swaying in the salty breeze
Along comes a hurricane
Blowing over everything

Many plants, and people,
with weaker roots than i
are washing inland,
or blowing out to sea

But I was planted deep
oh, so long ago
and when a storm comes
I may bend double
in the wind

but I don't break
flexible and strong
I've weathered many
storms through the years

and every time
I found one truth
to rely on

that with high winds
comes rain
to quench my thirst
so my roots grow
deeper every season
my foliage is greener

So now, I no longer fear
the winds and rain
as I did when I was young

Now I shelter younger
weaker plants
they grow in my shade
flowers on parade

Do you fear
as I used to?
or do you rely on God
to help you weather
the storms
in your own life?

One day an island girl
came by walking by and
planted a cherry seedling
in my shade

She blessed the tree
before she left
and said we would
grow ever closer
through the years,
then watered my roots
with her tears

That young cherry tree
began to grow
it put down roots quickly
soon, too soon
storm season was upon us

For I had grown fond
of that delicate,
beautiful tree
so different
from me!
I was so sure
I would never see it again

But I underestimated
that plucky, brave lass

Her roots had meshed
with mine
we became one
from that first moment
the girl watered us
with her tears

we became as
mother an daughter
and I realized
sometimes family chooses us
and opposited do work well
together
if we learn acceptance
of our differences

Years later,
she began to bloom,
and she asked why
her flowers were
pink and fragrant,
while I had none at all

I considered lying,
but she deserved the truth
I told her who
and what
she is

Why she is so special
a kind of miracle

To my great surprise
her reaction was not
what I expected
she reached her branches up
towards the blue sky and declared

You'll always be my mom
I Love You

Family is more than
blood relations
its learning to grow close
and rely on those
who God has placed
in your path

Family is
sometimdes built
instead of born

dedicated to my REAL family (my friends)