In loving memory of Venery K. Morgan

You are a warrior.

The trunk of the tree that holds the branches together.
The branches that produce leaves and bare such sweet fruit that makes the world happy.

It started with you.

Spending your life giving and giving and giving and giving.
Never, not once selfish.

The sun gives you the power.
The strength. Healing.

You were my tree nana.

Never once could I run to you and you didn’t give me shelter.
I stayed under you to feel safe from the mighty storms that had dared tried to mess with me.

Hurricanes were no match for you because you stood firm in your roots.
Tornadoes were not enough to uplift you from the ground.

You were the strongest tree I know.
A safe place.

You gave a meaning to rebirth and new life.
You gave a home to many things.

The birds that soar above you.
To animals that think of you as a safe place.

You spoke life into the environment and we listened.
The tree that has seen it all.

We have been so blessed to even be in the presence of such a wise being.
It started with you.

Nothing can breathe without you.
You were the air to our lungs.

You fed us.
Sheltered us and even listened to us.

Even when evil tries to sneak up on you, you put up a fight.
Fusicolla orange slime had no hold on you.

No battle was too strong for you.
A fighter and might I say again…A warrior.

Some days were better than others.
Other times they were hard.

You taught us lessons.
You made us learn that we can’t always be able to depend on you.

You made us realize that you weren’t always gonna be the protection to run to.
That we would have to provide our own shelter. That lesson holds so much value in our hearts.

The sun is where you get your power.
Nothing else was stronger than you.

You listened to the sun.
As if you two are best friends.

You praised the sun for letting you live another day. What a beautiful relationship.
You and your creator were best friends.

One beautiful day, the sun told you it’s time to rest.
Your work of protecting and serving and feeding and sheltering was finally over and that’s okay.

You deserve the reward of relief.
And ya know what?

The sun shined a bit brighter that day.
Sometimes your legacy breathes through the wind telling the ones you sheltered to “stop slangin’ snot”.

Because you know you’ll see us again.
Until then, we will take the values of you standing strong in your roots with us.

We take the values of you praising the most High.
We take the values of taking care of others.

Letting them sit under our shade.
You planted trees around you and we are now growing taller and taller.

I am the tree you planted and I will pour into others just as you poured into me.
Watch me flourish. In your name.

I love you nana. Thank you for being my tree.