Thinking About Trees

Looking out the window this afternoon I looked at the tree we planted last Father's Day. It was a wonderful gift, a great idea by my wife and kids. I have fretted over it a bit too much, watering it in the hot spells and now it is roped up as we wanted the harsh winds not to hurt it this fall. I am sure until I see new leaves on it this spring I will worry about its health.

When I think about many of my favorite places I think of trees. I think about the two towering trees at the house where I grew up that seemed to stretch to the sky. I drove by a few years ago, though my size may have contributed to the memory of their largeness they are indeed large trees.

At the K through 3 school my children have attended off to the edge of the playground is this beautiful old tree. In a way it surprises me it still stands. People worried about broken arms and skinned knees or yes, concussions, might well have worried over its proximity to adventurous young children. I am very happy that it has survived. I asked my daughter about that tree, being our youngest and most expressive child about such things I got what I expected. She told me how much she and " everyone " loved that tree. She told of when they were leaving third grade and moving across the street to another school that she and her little friends had gone and said good bye to that tree.

We all love trees. When you drive around in the spring and see the crabapple trees starting to flower it makes you know winter is really over. I look forward to seeing this tree we have planted grow. Trees are a marker for our lives. We measure ourselves and our own aging by them. Countless of us have taken pictures in front of trees yearly and watched our own selves grow older faster than the trees. Last Father's Day we took a picture with all of us in the thin, immature leaves of this tree and my oldest son and I, being the tallest , had our faces obscured by the leaves. My guess is that this Father's Day while my face may still be hidden my son's face will be easily seen. Trees make us recognize what we do not see day to day.

Last summer we purchased a backyard swing. It is one of those that can convert into a hammock and I enjoyed going out back and relaxing. I soon realized that laying there in our little corner of the world, looking at the trees and flowers and lawn that it was as I told my daughter " my favorite room of the house." Looking at these naked trees out back on a January day it is hard to believe that soon they will be green and bursting with life. I cannot wait. I love the windy days, sitting out back watching the trees bend but not break, feeling the air and for me feeling about as close to God as I think possible on this Earth. The quiet of the day, early morning or as the evening approaches watching the birds go from tree to tree and the chirps and calls. Even a hot July afternoon watching a squirrel gathering items under the trees and counting the seconds until the dog spots and sends him on his way at a frantic pace.

We see trees everyday. We hear about the rainforest and know logically how important they are. I think we forget how much a part of our emotional lives they are. For me personally they are like the pews of a church. I love trees.