Seeing red

Lots to do this morning and posting here wasn't on the list.

But I was so taken by the glorious colour of the rhus tree that I can see from my study window that I just had to put finger to keyboard. The leaves are a glorious reddy-orange and, tossed about in this morning's breeze, remind me of cosy nights in by the fire. Normally, when we talk about 'seeing red' we use it as a metaphor for anger, frustration, and crossness. But for me, this morning, faced with an over long list of things to do, many of them in the 'dull but necessary' brigade, seeing red was a delight and a reminder of just how much there is to take delight in without having to venture very far afield or incur significant expenditure.

Unsure, as I was, how to spell 'rhus' ( was, it, I wondered, two 's's or one?) I did a quick Google search and found that this beautiful tree has sap which can, in some people, causes a nasty allergic reaction . I learned, too, that in some parts of the world it is regarded as a noxious weed and landowners are obliged to clear it.  

So it seems to be that the tree is a useful metaphor in itself. For how we process things through our filters to make sense of the world and the fact that we can, if we choose, change those filters and thus our view of the world.

And there's more (of course!). Most of the year the rhus is an unremarkable tree-bush that adds, for me, no visual - or other - appeal to my garden. And yet, as I was reminded this morning, that same tree has great beauty within it - just waiting for the chance to shine. Another metaphor, perhaps? I think so.