I love the sound of a gentle breeze moving through the tops of palm trees. The sound is similar to a peaceful fountain, or soft raindrops hitting a damp surface.

Palm trees likely evoke numerous images of sunny days, sandy beaches, tanned bodies and umbrella-adorned cocktails. But for me, the palm is so much more. It’s a sign of things to come, a compass for the seasons.

On sunny days, one simply has to listen with closed eyes to imagine a day that’s gray and calming, perhaps with a bit of dampness falling from the heavens or pooling on the ground.

On gray days, the palm speaks of sun that will soon shine again.

During the crisp days of fall, palms reach up to the heavens with their lofty hugs, seemingly welcoming the cooler season and thanking Mother Nature for respite from the heat.

And during winter’s frost, they still stand tall — not to be broken by icy temperatures, cold treatment or a cloudy outlook.

I’m anything but a beach person, but I do love a good collection of palms upon one. For as much as the sand and surf can calm one’s soul, so does the palm when it speaks to me of seasons to come.

For the palm and its many songs, I am thankful.