At a stop light, I scanned my surroundings and noticed a group of trees. There was a tall skinny palm in a group of indigenous trees. It was remarkably different than the others; skinny thin and towering above everything. I couldn’t help but wonder how one lone, fragile tree grew to be so abnormally tall.

My mind immediately connected the scene of opposites to real life. The power of one.

We can believe there is nothing we can do or say to make a positive difference in the world. How wrong we are. This lone palm only did what it was intended to do; stay alive and grow. But, it did the job better than the others. Other palms looked stronger and healthier, but this one rose above the norm with seemingly less support.

The picture in my mind of the roadside landscape is food for thought on how nature compares to life. My sister Zella comes to mind. She is frail and has many health problems, but she lives and grows. Along with her positive attitude and determination, she sets the bar high for the rest of us.

When I see her, awe engulfs me. Her lifestyle is below the norm. Her financial situation causes high stress, she is physically unable to complete daily tasks to her standards, and she is never free of pain. Yet, her contagious laugh never ceases as she recalls years of family history, speaks of the political situation, shares a wealth of information from TV and magazines, and tells endearing stories about every single item in her home. She is a hoot. 

Like the tree, she is a living example of the power of one. The fact she is living on her own, loves her family and cares for her cats,  daily nurtures a circle of friends who help her with maintenance and errands, and is as happy an anyone I know, makes her an anomaly.

Like the skinny thin towering palm tree, she rises above expectations and environmental challenges with grit. Where does she get it, and how does she keeps it? I don’t know. I have more of everything, yet I would be hard-pressed to match her legacy.

God Bless her.