I just returned from spending a few days in Sequoia National Park. It’s my second trip to this magnificent place, and I was able to spend more time in the park, leading to the trip being more about the experience itself than photos of it.

I could fill this post with words about where to stay and eat (okay….breakfast at the Riverview Restaurant & Lounge was phenomenal!), but you can find that information all over the net. No, I only want to talk about one thing. One really big thing.

The Sequoia Tree.

They can grow up to 300 feet. One of the largest is over 100 feet around at its base. Their bark can be up to 4 feet thick and can heal itself from fire damage. And they’re old, upwards of 2,000 years old.

No words, or photos for that matter, can describe just how incredible being in the presence of one of these giants is. And despite that, they can come crashing down for seemingly small things, like the soil beneath them loosening, or weight from winter snow making them top heavy.

The smallest of things can bring down the biggest of things. Sounds a lot like us doesn’t it?

Their size alone makes you realize just how small we really are. The fact that they live so long, enduring so much, makes what we endure in our short time on this earth seem trivial. But that they can be brought down by something so simple really hit home with me as I walked through the Sequoia groves.

Both for yourself, and for those you care for, keep your foundations strong, and never let the burdens of life weigh so much that you come crashing down.