There are so many definitions of settle: resolve, give up, cede, move to a place; in some ways those definitions contradict each other.

When I was first ordained, I was ‘settled’ into a particular congregation, which meant I moved 1800 kilometers away home and I was expected to ‘settle’ in and make it my home. It was an ‘unsettling’ experience.

The moss on this tree and roots reminded me of a prehistoric bird’s foot, settled in for winter, protecting the roots. The moss reminds me of my time with that first congregation, I left my mark on that congregation even though I left it. And the moss is green and growing.