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Clootie tree
- 1. Nana Alene’s Clootie Tree Writtenby Patricia Rodriguez Photo © Lensman 300 | Dollar Photo Club
- 2. One Saturday morningwhile cleaning, I found a beautiful wooden box under my Nana’s bed. The lid of the box had small, colorful flowers carved into it.
- 3. “What’s in thisbox?” I asked Nana. “My treasures, sweet girl.” “Can I see them?” I asked. “Yes, but after we finish cleaning,” Nana answered.
- 4. Finally, we finishedcleaning Nana’s bedroom and I quickly placed the box on her bed. She nodded and I opened the box.
- 5. My eyes weredrawn to a small cat with green sparkling eyes. Nana told me it is made of porcelain and was given to her by a special friend on her 10th birthday.
- 6. Then, Nana pickedup her engagement ring and placed it on my finger. It slipped right off, falling into the treasure box which made us both giggle.
- 7. Next, I pickedup a baby jar filled with water and seashells. Nana Alene told me it was collected by her mother from the ocean on the day of her baptism. When I shook the jar, I could see the sand and shells swirling in the water.
- 8. Then I noticedan item which seemed out of place, so I picked it up to show it to Nana.
- 9. It was astrand of faded cloth. Nana took hold of the other end. Nana began to tell the story of the clootie tree.
- 10. When she wasa young girl living in Ireland, her Aunt Nessa became ill. As was the custom, Nana Alene cut a piece of cloth from her aunt’s pink-colored robe and dipped it in the water of the well near the clootie tree.
- 11. Nana offered aprayer asking for God’s healing spirit to help her aunt, and then tied the cloth to the clootie tree.
- 12. As the rosecolor faded from many days spent blowing in the sun and wind, God’s healing spirit comforted her aunt.
- 13. Nana explained tome that Aunt Nessa could see the clootie tree from her bedroom window, and when Nana came to visit, they would watch the cloth blowing in the wind.
- 14. One morning, whenNana was snuggling with her Aunt Nessa, she explained to Nana that when you pray asking for God’s healing, the Holy Spirit responds with a blessing.
- 15. “Blessings come inmany shapes and forms, Alene,” explained Aunt Nessa. Watching the cloth blowing in the wind under the bright sunlight brought comfort to Aunt Nessa because it sang to her each day of God’s love.
- 16. Nana told me AuntNessa shared her favorite scripture with her.
- 17. “Remember, Alene, thereis nothing in all of creation, not even death or life, or the world above or below, that can separate us from God’s love which is ours through Christ.”
- 18. When Aunt Nessadied, Nana removed the cloth and placed it in her treasure box. Nana would hold the cloth when she yearned for her Aunt Nessa.
- 19. Several years later,when Nana Alene became sick, I cut a piece of her robe and tied it to a tree. I created my own clootie tree.
- 20. If I closemy eyes, I can still see the faded strand of cloth blowing in the wind and hear her voice whispering, “Never forget that nothing can separate you from the love of God.”
- 21. As Nana physicallyfaded away, the Holy Spirit blessed us all with strength, comfort, and joy.
- 22. Nana Alene beganto understand that healing comes from God’s constant presence in our lives and the love of our family and friends. Healing isn’t only physical. Healing most often comes in the form of peace when we recognize God is with us during all our joys and sorrows.
- 23. The Holy Spiritencourages us to embrace love because it is triumphant.
- 24.
- 25. And so the storycontinues to blow in the wind, singing love’s triumph over all.