Show A legend of life by LEONARD A BARRETT there is an interesting legend of the dogwood tree which reveals life in a process of development we are so used to evaluating things by their size or by their material 09 value we forget the hidden springs the un seen spirit this little legend points to inner life the legend re lates that once in L the long ago the dogwood tree grew strong and stately as the oak it was the pride of the woods when material was needed to build the cross upon which jesus was crucified the dogwood tree sup plied that material from that time the dogwood tree was doomed to become slender and scrubby so that no longer was it the proud tree of the forest no longer was it used to build a cross for in giving itself in that sacrifice henceforth its blos were decreed to form a cross and in the center of each petal a nail print brown and stained with blood told over and over the story of the tree stately and strong enough to build a cross only a legend but it holds the principle of true living nature refuses fuses S interference with her orderly process of development whether the present day dogwood tree found in abundance in our northern woods was ever molested in its early growth is not the question if such were the case the penalty is distinctly seen by comparing its rug ged beauty with frail beauty that has known no bitter conflict nor opposing forces in a an n orderly growth beauty that gives none of itself in the process of living and meeting the demands of life is ex imitation and not internal development there is a vast difference between a photograph and a living face the dogwood tree gave up its size but released its strength of life in its measure of service in dicing a rugged exterior the dog wood tree made singularly sacred its fruit which bears forever the image of the cross if life spends itself in building one cross it hence forth knows the kinship of struggle and the bond of indwelling purpose the cross has always been a sym bol of sacrifice which is at the heart of all achievement strong character is essential to sacrifice we grow impatient with small lives which cannot see over the top of their own yard fence lives that take all and give nothing lives that ask all and answer nothing lives that demand and dare nothing whenever the cross of sacrifice is eliminated from life we grow self ish and unhappy lift the element of sacrifice up in the crowded ways of life and the weary are given a place to rest the hungry are fed the naked are clothed the sick are visited lift the cross of sacrifice high up on the altar of the heart and life blooms in imperishable deeds strength may fail fall but love never fails there may be physical fail ures but no spiritual bitterness As the little fir tree is the symbol of perpetual life so the dogwood tree is the symbol of perpetual sacrifice green branches and petals that bear the image of the cross life and its process of growth 0 western newspaper union |