The Squirrels in the Tree

A true short story.

I remember the day I got to Fairhope early for my appointment with Augusta. I didn’t want to sit in her office, so I drove over to the little park by the big pier. I rode around the narrow gravel road that circles the park there at the bay shore. As I pulled back around a second time, I noticed some squirrels in the huge oak trees. They were there playing, jumping from one limb to another, chasing each other like a bunch of children on a playground. They were not paying any attention to the life going on around them. They were truly enjoying the beautiful weather we were having that day.

I pulled into a parking space, shut off my car and started relishing their joy and childlike energy. A smaller squirrel caught my eye in the higher branches. Even though he was smaller than the other squirrels, his courage was incredible. He jumped from branch to branch never seeming to doubt he would make it to the next one. Then, as a bigger squirrel started chasing him, he made a jump to another limb, but he missed. In that split second while watching him as he fell, my heart went to my throat, and my stomach dropped to my feet. Reality slowed down, it felt as though he fell forever. I wanted to turn away, but I was frozen in place. Then, just when I thought he was surely going to slam into the ground, he latched onto one of the last branches between him and the ground. He literally swung around in circles a couple times. He pulled himself upright, surveyed the situation, then scurried right back up to rejoin the games high above him.

As I sat there thinking about what I had just seen, I realized that little squirrel reminded me of myself. So many times, when my “depression”, as the textbooks call it, would hit me like a ton of bricks. Those were the times when I felt as though I was going to hit the proverbial ground full force. Those times, just like that tiny squirrel, I would always find something I could grab onto until I could have the time to get my head and heart together enough to continue fighting. There were days when all seemed as though it wouldn’t or couldn’t possibly get better, a song or something a stranger would say would give me a few moments of happiness. It may not last long or fix anything, but it would give me enough to hold that proverbial branch for a few days, or at least until I could pull myself back up to keep moving forward a bit longer.

I don’t remember who, but someone once said, “It is a strong person who knows when to ask for help”. It took many years, but I know for a fact this is so very true. The times when I became the most depressed and when I thought I had absolutely had all I could take, I would tell someone, anyone. It didn’t matter if they understood or not, just saying it helped. In fact, there was a time or two when I had decided to go back into counseling, that I had to take whoever I could find. Often, I didn’t have a friend, a coworker, or anyone I could trust to recommend someone. I would end up going to the yellow pages, searching through the pages and choosing someone.

A few of those I would almost laugh out loud at. I knew they didn’t have a clue about me or what I was trying to tell them. In fact, I probably could have taught them a thing or two. They had too much book learning, and not enough life learning. I could have taught them a thing or two about how things were in the real world and that they were very different than the way their textbooks had portrayed much of life.

One counselor I saw was the epitome of a textbook counselor. I still smile when I think about him. He was so Sigmund Freud’ish. I only went to one session with him. He was ridiculous, but in a funny way. He was not the one for me though. I never let the not so good counselors discourage me. In fact, several of them were stepping blocks. They helped me recognize and appreciate the better counselors I saw.

Each one helped me in their own way. I always learned something from them, some positive, and some negative. Sometimes their silliness would bring me up just enough to hold on a little longer. Other times, they would say something that gave me something to think about and analyze in my over thinking mind.

That little squirrel reminded me to never give up. Whether it was a counselor, a song, a happy moment with a stranger, or some tiny bit of good news, we can always find a smile or a small piece of hope in unexpected ways. Every one of us has a thousand a thousand Angels just waiting to show us the branches we all have available to grab and pull ourselves up with. It doesn’t matter if we spin around on that branch a few times. We can gain our balance and rest on that branch until we regain our bearings. We can then climb back to those who are right there waiting to help you find joy and happiness again.

Pier Park Fairhope, AL.

May 18, 2001

Pause

Rest

Regroup

But Never Give Up

Ask For Help