The Enduring Olive Tree: Wisdom for Seasons of Hardship
Written by Rachel Hyland
Finding Strength in Seasons of Drought
I never developed a taste for olives—far too bitter and briny for my liking. Olive oil, on the other hand, is my kitchen essential. I buy it in bulk, cook with it constantly, and pour it with abandon.
A recent label sent me down an unexpected rabbit hole: the process that carries olives from dusty groves to massive Costco vats. Along the way, I discovered the remarkable history of the olive tree—its resilience, symbolism, and stubborn ability to thrive where little else can.
Across the Mediterranean, olive trees stand as living witnesses to time. Some are thousands of years old, their gnarled trunks twisted by age, yet still they continue to produce fruit. They defy the wilderness, enduring harsh sun, long seasons of drought, and rocky soil. Even when cut back or burned to the ground, they have a way of sending up new shoots from their roots, refusing to be defined by loss.
Resilience That Withstands the Storm
There is something deeply comforting about the resilience of olive trees. They are a quiet reminder that survival is not about avoiding hardship, but about finding ways to grow in the midst of it.
Their beauty is not in perfection, but in the way their scars tell the story of endurance.
Olives themselves carry a lesson. Unlike other fruits, they cannot be eaten straight from the tree—the bitterness is too strong. They require time, soaking, and patience before they become nourishing.
In a similar way, the difficult parts of our stories cannot always be digested as they are. Healing often requires space, gentleness, and process before what feels painful can be transformed into wisdom, compassion, or strength.
A Symbol of Healing and Renewal
For centuries, the olive tree has been a symbol of hope and restoration. In ancient times, olive oil represented divine anointing—it lit the lamps in temples and brought healing to the wounded.
The olive branch remains a universal sign of peace and reconciliation, a promise of new beginnings.
Like the olive tree, we too can endure life’s droughts and emerge renewed. Therapy can provide the grounding and care we need to nurture that growth—helping us process pain, rebuild connection, and rediscover inner strength.
Therapy as the Soil for Growth
At Cypress Counseling Group, we believe that healing often happens slowly, like new shoots emerging from roots after a fire.
Through compassionate and relational therapy, you can:
Reconnect with your sense of worth and peace
Learn to transform pain into resilience
Find meaning and growth through hardship
You don’t have to face your seasons of difficulty alone. Like the olive tree, your capacity for renewal is already within you—you simply need the space and support to tend to it.