May These Words Find Your Roots
At 0’dark thirty, I carried several bottles of water out to the field where we were blessed to have over 40 trees planted by a generous organization.
They haven’t been looking good.
For weeks now, I’ve made it a daily appointment to give them each a few cups of water. Slowly, I’ve been seeing the green come back. Little buds are beginning to sprout—even on the ones I was sure were gone.
Never give up hope.
This morning, though, my heart was heavy.
I learned that a young man—an extended member of our family—unexpectedly passed on an airplane. The plane was forced to land in Colombia, and now his family is struggling to bring him home so he can be laid to rest.
Grief is so heavy, and it felt like the sky pressed down on me as I watered those trees.
And then life, as it does, threw in more.
While I was out in the field, one of my dogs, Maggy, was attacked by hornets. My mother’s instinct kicked in, and I attacked the hornets back. I didn’t make it out unscathed. Several stings burned my skin, but I finished my mission to nourish the trees anyway and Maggy survived with only one sting.
Working through the pain, shaking off the cobwebs, I got a text from a dear friend asking to Zoom. I hopped on, and she shared her heartbreak: she had to put her beloved pug, Max, down.
Max wasn’t just her dog. He was one of the loves of my life too. I was with her on the day she got him—we called it “the pug run,” kind of like a “drug run,” because we met in a parking lot off I-5 to make the exchange. She handed over the money, we scooped up the pug, and smuggled him back into Oregon. It’s what you do for friends.
We cried together. I gave her space to share whatever her heart needed to release. And by the time we hung up, we were smiling again—making a commitment to meet up soon. I felt blessed for our 20 years of friendship.
I’m blessed, too, for another friend who received my messy, unfiltered text that morning. I dumped everything on her without knowing what her day looked like, and she responded with nothing but grace, love, and kindness.
I am blessed.
So here I sit, sipping my coffee, shaking my head at it all.
What a crazy morning.
By any measure, this would be a day that would justify numbing—and it wasn’t even 8 a.m. yet.
But then I remembered the prayer I whisper with every tree I water:
“May this water find your roots and ignite the light within.”
And now I share these words with you:
No matter how dark the world seems—today or in the days to come—remember this:
We are the Light.
We have a choice: to build our light and keep shining… or to allow it to dim by numbing with alcohol, food, or disconnect.
So may these words, like water, find your roots and ignite the light within.
And always remember… You are so loved.
Teresa Rodden Return to Light with Shadow Love
About Teresa Rodden
Teresa Rodden is a coach, author, and guide for women in their prime who are ready to stop numbing, start feeling, and live with purpose. Through her signature message, Love Yourself Back to Light, and her newest body of work, Shadow Love, Teresa helps women embrace every part of themselves — even the dark places — as essential to their brilliance.
Her work is about more than “fixing” what’s wrong; it’s about returning to truth, rewriting limiting narratives, and allowing the shadow to teach you how to shine. Whether through her writing, coaching programs, or live workshops, Teresa invites women to explore with curiosity, meet themselves with compassion, and reclaim the power of their own story.
Connect with Teresa on Instagram @i_am_teresarodden or learn more at TeresaRodden.com.
