Parables from the Tree of Life

About the Book

Parables from the Tree of Life depicts to us how nature often shows us the way. The story (somewhat autobiographical) follows a little girl growing up to become a young woman, learning spiritual lessons from reflections of the trees and with direction of her spiritual guide within. The book constitutes a narrative between the girl and the tree of life as she encounters the many trials and tribulations and occasionally triumphs in life, growing up in a large family in a culturally diverse setting. The 'tree of life' is the English name for arborvitae. The trees cover the Door County Wisconsin shoreline for many miles. They are not indigenous to North America, but were brought to us by sailors who made tea from their leaves to prevent scurvy. Thus they were truly named 'tree of life'. The story starts with the young girl growing up in central Illinois with frequent visits to North eastern Wisconsin. With a unique photograph of the adaptation of trees with each chapter coupled with the wisdom of the spirit, this book presents an inspirational and encouraging portrayal of contending with the many vicissitudes of life. The book is especially directed to those who live with depression and other forms of chronic pain, bravely keeping a smile on their faces and battling on with honest questioning and attempted integrity in life's situations. These stories show the girl encountering a number of religions and peoples, all the while striving to find a true course. Scars, and breaks and various anomalies of tree growth are viewed through the eyes of the spirit as positive and educational, though rarely easily acquired. This little book can help people on their life journey just as this little girl found her way from a young child into womanhood,

About the Author

Pat has excelled in several areas of the arts. As a first grader her work was shown at the newly built Krannert Center on the University of Illinois campus. She began dance at the age of 5 ½ and was on toe shoes at 7. She continued to dance until her father took up ice skating in the winter of 1961. She went on to pass all but two figure skating test towards a gold metal in the USFA. She also took ice dancing tests with her father. She worked three jobs at the age of 16, while continuing to skate and make most of her own clothes, draw and do pottery. Pat had undiagnosed major depression for the majority of her life. She wanted to write a book that would inspire others who face similar issues. At around 50 she hit a wall and was not able to maintain her smiling face. Most people who know her, would never believe she had severe depression. She was always able to keep a happy disposition, like many of her fellow depressives. Pat lives with her husband and youngest son in Wisconsin. She earned a B.S. in Organizational Behavior and a M.S. in Business. She has been working on this book off and on since 1992, both in writing and taking many photographs where she summers in Door County, Wisconsin. She has two daughters from her first marriage and two sons from her second. She spends her time being creative and trying new things. She engages in a variety of artistic pursuits. She says it keeps her going. She also is a grandmother for three girls, who moved to other states in the last year. Her third marriage has been a happy one, although her husband is on two waiting lists for a liver transplant, which keeps her constantly looking for ways to make his quality of life better.