When outside this morning, I stared at tree after tree. Although a few of the early spring trees have some blossoms or buds that will turn into leaves, others until the last few days continued to look like lingering winter. Bare branches.

Until today. Today is blossoming into a full color screen, like in the “Wizard of Oz”. Green is everywhere. The trees are signaling that spring is finally here in the midwest. I love this time of year. When the trees start to generate their spring leaves, the green is light and bright, glistening from the sunshine. And like clockwork, trees are dependable. From their roots deep into the earth, they ready themselves to spring out in their glory. They always do.They always come through.

In Tai Chi we learn to root ourselves like a tree.The deeper our roots go, the more stable and balanced we are as we stand on the earth. That earth energy comes up through our feet and circulates throughout our body. At this time of year I always think of one of the fundamental principles in the Tai Chi Classics:

“The internal energy, Qi, roots in the feet,
Transfers through the legs,
Is controlled from the waist,
And blossoms through the arms and fingertips.”

Like the trees. Pay attention today to the trees. Admire their steadiness, their blossoming and their lessons for each of us — Be stable, balanced and dependable.