Tree of Life

I was unable to attend this past Thursday's class for multiple reasons. Our class had guest speaker Ellen Silverman come to our Senior Seminar class to discuss our Tree of Life based on the book, "Retelling the Stories of Our Lives: Everyday Narrative Therapy to Draw Inspiration and Transform Experience" written by David Denborough. In the link you will find the reading that shows you how to make your own tree of life and what Denborough wants you to think about or ask yourself as you create your tree. Enclosed in the link is a tree that you can use to make your own Tree of Life. I honestly had a rough time making my tree; there is a lot going on with friends and family, and deciding what has impacted/is impacting me positively (and unfortunately negatively) was reflection that I found difficult to put on paper. However, I wanted to share it with you because I successfully completed it and wanted to share my tree the way everyone shared their own trees in class. I highlighted my "professional" identity with a green highlighter, and the rest of my tree is my personal identity. The best part about this exercise is like actually trees, no two trees are exactly the same, and I am proud of my own, unique tree that consists of its own personal roots, ground, trunk, branches, leaves, fruits, seeds, and even compost. This exercise, although rough, was important to lay out for myself, and I couldn't be more proud of the person I am "growing" to be.

 

 

"If our life is in turmoil, it's like a river, fast flowing and full of hazards and dangers. If we're in the middle of a fast-flowing river, it may not be the time to talk about those hazards or dangers. Instead, all of our efforts may need to go into immediate survival. We need to find a way to step out of the turmoil and the fast-flowing water and up onto the riverbank, where we can look down upon our own life."

--David Denborough.