I am currently reading the unbelievable story of The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. I know I am late to the game on reading this incredibly well written New York Times bestselling book but better late than never.

In one chapter, the English boat-maker was talking to a 20-year old University of Washington varsity crew member about the wood he uses to build his boats. He was showing him the concentric rings within the wood and how it told the story of the tree’s life. The rings hold the tree’s unique history; the climate it endured, the seasons of scarcity and abundance, the narrative of sun and rain forever mark the tree.

As I read this chapter, I felt a lot like the tree. Some years in our lives are filled with tremendous growth and development, and some years are far more difficult—but we grow in those years, too. No one can see our “rings” but they are there and they have made us who we are. They remind us that regardless of what each year has brought us, here we stand, ready to face whatever comes next. We are far stronger and more resilient than we think—our rings are proof!

With Gratitude,
Beth
www.fitzgeraldlifecoaching.com
beth@fitzgeraldlifecoaching.com