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Blog 491 – 12.10.2016
A Tribute To Trees

I am not in the most common usage of the term a “tree hugger” but I have hugged a few trees in my time, mostly shinning up them to see as far as I could see from their lofty heights. But I do love trees. I have rejoiced in their shade, marveled as they shake their heads in the breeze, and stood in awe of their beauty as they put on their bright new leaves in spring, get full and shady in summer, put on their party dresses in autumn only to shed them like a wild young thing after the dance, and then in their nakedness are covered with snow and ice in the winter like white fur and diamonds. They are a constant reminder of the beauty in all the changing seasons.

I was inspired to write another piece on trees by a picture someone posted on social media of some lumberjacks felling a very large tree probably a short time after cameras were  invented. At first I thought of commenting, “How could they cut down such a majestic thing. It would be like killing an older person who had lived a long time. Doesn’t seniority count for anything, or beauty, or just plain experience?” But I thought better of it and as I looked closer at the picture I saw that the heart of the tree was gone and thought maybe the lumberjacks were doing the tree a kindness bringing it down with dignity rather than allowing some storm to fell it damaging perhaps other younger trees and most likely damaging the wood where it would be useless for building homes, businesses, fine furniture, paper, and building materials that would vastly extend its life and influence. What an imagination you have, Dave. It is just a tree. No, my friends it is not just a tree, it is alive with possibilities as are each of us. That tree was alive long before the first Europeans arrived on these shores, we’ll maybe not the Vikings or the Phoencians, but at least before Columbo and the those who followed after him. That tree had been around a while and deserved to be treated with dignity.

Trees have not always been treated with dignity. Pocahontas in Disney’s animated movie by the same name sings, “How high the sycamore grows, if you cut it down then you’ll never know.” Progress for most has always meant clearing the land of people and things that were in the way. If we continue to program that sort of thinking into our computers it is only a mater of time till the prophetic movies of The Terminator genre come true for us and a future self aware computer decides all biological life is just in the way of progress.

It is time we all tried a new way of thinking where we really begin to see life in all things and honor it as our own. Just maybe the trees have secrets to reveal and are just waiting on a hug and a little respect before yielding up those secrets. My hat is off and my arms and ears are open to trees,

Your friend and fellow traveler,
Lover of trees,
David White