There was a tree in Lebanon, and winter, as usual, came upon it. It is winter’s nature to cause all things to wither and lose their moisture, but the root of that tree was so firmly planted in the ground that the winter was not able to destroy it. Still, the trunk of the tree was damaged somewhat by the weather. Its leaves, however, did not lose their green vigour (viriditas) and did not fall.
Saint Hildegard von Bingen