After a nice, albeit brief, trip to my hometown, I feel grateful that 81st Street was such a fertile planting ground for my roots.   A great house, great parents, a big backyard and a best friend who lived across the street.

So often, our roots remain hidden, out of sight.  Only in the rare cases that they grew in extraordinary circumstances (such as this tree, through solid rock) do we see just how strong they are.

A photo like this also brings to mind the verse, “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move hence to yonder place,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”  Matthew 17:20-21