Parasites

I caught a whiff of the intoxicating smell of the golden broom as I walked down the drive, a fragrance that suggests coconut, warm climates, summer.

All the trees have finally leafed out, a palette of shades of green. Another day of sunshine and mild temperatures has aroused the bees and butterflies and coaxed us into taking the table and chairs into the garden, where we have sipped coffee in the sunshine Med-style. 

It is a rare day when I can go for a walk without a coat, but today was one. As we rounded the corner this afternoon, I noticed a tree which looked like it would fit better in a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean than on the edge of a wood in Drumoak. Grey-green lichen drape over all the lower branches of this majestic tree, sucking the sap that was meant for its leaves. Only at the top of the tree are there any fresh green leaves, and I wondered how long before they, too, grow anaemic and give way to the creeping parasite which has got such a hold on the tree.

It’s easy to let things attach to us which actually suck the life from us. Sometimes it’s people who suck us dry, leaving us limp and lifeless. It’s important to cut off those things which so harm us early on, before they gain a hold of us. 

Jesus warned his friends to watch out for false prophets who look like innocent sheep but are really ferocious wolves. He advised that you look at their fruit – if it’s bad, avoid keeping company with them. 

Not everything that looks good, is.