The honey locust tree is common to northwest Ohio. This tree grows along rivers and floodplains. The roots prefer the moist soils of the riverine ecosystem. The most distinguishable characteristic of the honey locust are the thorns which adorn the bark of the tree.
The view of the river from this bench is stunning, especially on a misty morning as the sun rises and an orange-pink glow reflects on the water. But first you have to get there, to that bench past the thorns. Have you ever felt like there were “thorns” in the way of where you wanted to be? Perhaps prickly thoughts that get in the way of a beautiful view you long to experience?
The thorns of the honey locust are thought to have evolved to protect the trees from browsing megafauna, the large mammals, of the Pleistocene. However, the size and spacing of the thorns are not a deterrent for the smaller browsing herbivores of today. In other words, the thorns, while still present and quite formidable looking, no longer provide the tree protection.
As you think about where you would like to be – in your life, in your career, in your way of being in the world - also reflect on what “thorns” may be keeping you from that destination. Maybe they too originally evolved as protection from an ancient threat? Maybe today is a good day to reflect upon their purpose?