Does anyone remember the scene (movie or book) in J.R.R. Tolkien’s universe of Middle-earth (“The Lord of the Rings: The Coming of the King”), where the White Tree of Gondor begins to grow? It stood as a symbol of hope in the Court of the Fountain in Minas Trith. Yesterday as I walked out my back door, I noticed the little wisteria tree that I had planted years ago at the house in Atlanta and replanted last year here had changed.

I immediately thought of the scene in Tolkien’s novel where the fourth Tree of Gondor—a sapling—began to bear leaves and how this signified the coming of the true King. My wisteria had been separated years ago from the original vine Evelyn Forrest had planted at her cottage on the campus of Toccoa Falls College. I had taken it to Atlanta where I carefully planted it in a very large terracotta container, but it never grew. And it certainly never bloomed. Then I brought it back to this area and there it was: bearing new leaves along with being in full bloom!

“The coming of hope?” I asked. Maybe. The coming of the True King? That would be glorious!