LEARNING FROM TREES

Today is a glorious day. The sky is clear, the sun is bright, a cool little breeze is blowing, and birds are singing everywhere. My neighborhood is filled with peace all because of beautiful Mother Nature. I feel more alive and vibrant on days like today. It’s as if the peace I feel outside my body is transformed into a liquidy balm of sweetness that oozes into every corner of my body and being.

I’m sitting on my front porch, reading and writing. People and creatures are going about their daily business. Bees are busy buzzing, little white butterflies are twittering about, and it’s so calm and peaceful even Dale, our resident chipmunk, has come to visit, sunning himself on our top step.

Towering above our neighborhood are giant white oak trees, standing twice as tall as our homes. I’ve always loved trees. I used to live in a pecan orchard amongst rows and rows of graceful pecan trees. Since then, I’ve come to view all trees as silent guardians, always present, day in and day out, no matter what conditions are like outside. They possess a majesty and in their silence, an air of mystery.

Sometimes, when all seems calm and quiet here close to the ground, you can hear a swishing and rustling of leaves seeming to come from far away. Looking up, you realize it’s the topmost branches of the oaks catching the wind in their part of the sky, dancing and swaying in ever expansive and graceful ripples. Their rhythm is beautiful to watch and soothing to listen to.

Marveling at the plethora of trees and blooming flowers around me, I’m reminded once again of something I read a long time ago. I can’t remember the exact words, but the message went something like this: “Look at that beautiful daisy; it cares not about the beautiful rose growing next to it. See that young pine tree; it cares not about the tall oak standing next to it. They cower not in self-comparison to their neighbor. They grow steady and strong, only eager and concerned with who they are and need to be, knowing there will never grow another daisy like itself, nor another pine like itself.”  

When I’m experiencing a bout of self-doubt, I think about this passage. Trees and flowers grow because they must, without giving thought to their neighbor. They don’t stunt themselves into growing less, into being less, because of who’s growing next to them. They grow proudly into who they’re meant to be. They stand tall and grow tall to show off their own unique beauty, to join together with their tall and flowering neighbors as a gift to the world.

I think about them and try to follow their example. I know, you’re saying they’re only trees and flowers with no minds of their own, who grow because of instinct. Yes, yes, that’s probably true, but give them credit for displaying a stoic spirit and strength of character…just by being who they are. Plus, haven’t you heard of plants growing better when spoken kindly and lovingly to? Just ask Prince Charles. (But seriously, it’s true.)

Trees, flowers, all plants for that matter, surely have a spirit all their own. They show us how to be ourselves, to grow into who we’re meant to be and not worry about comparing ourselves to anyone else. We’re all unique. There’s no one else like you or me. We could all learn from a tree.