Is that what you really want? 🌳

You won’t believe it.

How is it possible that I’ve never noticed this before? I’ve encircled that city park with the nice playground, basketball court, and hilly corner thousands of times.  

I know the discolored patch of grass where my geriatric pug prefers to round his back and gaze straight up at me while I pull the crinkling plastic bag from my down winter coat. I know the downhill slope grants me 8 extra steps of breath holding while walking west. I know many of the trees standing guard on the edges are wind blown and reaching towards the east.  

But there it is for the first time.

As the 6:30 am summer sun sneaks between houses, tree limbs, and fence boards, it sets this specimen on display. The glowing magenta flowers completely cover the tree. Springing directly from the branches where the leaves had all fallen off months earlier, the courageous blossoms have overtaken the bare wood.

I have to know what kind of a tree this is!

So, I did what you would have done: I asked the internet.

Surely we’ll get a response by posting a pic to Instagram story with text overlay “anyone know what kind of a tree this is?”

Unbeknownst to me, all my friends are horticulture experts.

But there was one comment that stood out among all the rest:

“It’s my dream tree. I've always wanted one.”

Immediately I found myself caught in a mental loop of introspection and intrigue, ignoring all the well-informed DM’s. All I could think was then go buy the fucking tree.

It’s not a $78 million Van Gogh.

It’s a tree.  

You own a house.  

Plant one in your yard.

BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA! Turning dreams into reality!

So, what is your magnolia soulangeana tree?

What is the thing you want that’s TOTALLY attainable, but you keep from yourself and hold on a pedestal?

Don’t go through life wishing for this and dreaming of that. It’s a mindset that will keep you unhappy and jealous. If you want something, work towards getting it.  

Focus on the things you actually want or already have.

If you’re not working towards it, then give it up and stop fantasizing over what you don’t actually desire. 

After all, it’s just a tree to look at when you’re at the park avoiding eye contact with your pathetic little dog struggling to expel a turd the size, shape, and color of an overgrown slug.

Be great,

 

Danny Lehr