I never really appreciated trees that much until I moved out to KY/Ohio area for 4 years where there really isn’t a lot of trees compared to New England. I’ve been learning about trees for the past several years. My son studied about the Environment in College and then worked for the Environment State Dept for a bit. I love that trees cleanse the air.
Anything that grows from a seed is amazing to me,but the strength and majesty of a tree takes on a higher level. For something to grow roots down and life up through the earth is a wonder. As others have said they bend, stand tall, create shade, provide food and needed wood. Their growth is slow, patient and happens in all direction.
Sometimes I take them for granted but when I give pause they are much more complex then a simple trunk with leaves.
I have come to learn they are so intertwined with me that they are part of me. My origins and condition started in the Garden with the Tree of Life and the tree of knowing good and evil. They are part of my lungs on this earthly garden. They feed me, shelter me, inspire me and guide me. I adore wood and how it transforms into things of beauty like furniture. They are divine.
I love all trees, but two in particular stand out.
One is the huge pine tree that sat outside our house when I was growing up. When the family dysfunction – mother’s drinking, parents; fighting – got too much, I would go outside and sit under the tree. Sometimes with a book, sometimes just daydreaming.
The other is a maple that sat outside our home. When we moved we were going through a rough patch. Seeing that tree every day helped to heal.
Yes, I am a tree hugger (literally.)
I love trees for their many colors, the shapes and textures of leaves, limbs, and bark, the sounds their branches make tossing in the wind, their varied growth patterns, shapes and sizes, the homes they provide for many living creatures, their fruits, seeds, and nuts, for their roots communicating with each other and holding the earth, and for the oxygen they make and the CO2 they convert into all that beauty and bounty.
I recently went to a talk by Julie Ratner, who lives in my community. She uses a device made in Italy that converts the electrical impulses within a tree’s inner workings into sound (“Plants Play”). Fascinating talk, including her comments on the differences between the sounds of a standing tree and one that has been cut down. That stump isn’t dead; a lot of life is still occurring within it and below ground. But it can never give shade again, and she played a clip with the forest and the clearcut of the same tree species in the same areas. I know I’m anthropomorphizing when I say I heard a cry from the stump. You can hear some tree sounds at https://www.restoringearthconnection.org/friends-of-trees.
I write this in a house made of wood surrounded by brand new wood cabinets and old wooden furniture. We consume no matter how careful we are on the land.
Not a living organism on our planet survives without consumption. We happen to be part of a group that will, on the whole, consume much past the metric of necessity. Thank you, Barb, for the reminder to be gentle with our home.
How apropo that I started on this site with this
question today! I took my puppy out this morning
near the dog park which has three trees. It’s difficult to keep the trees alive in that environment, so I noticed the brown and dried leaves that haven’t fallen off the tree. I looked further up the tree, and saw the pretty, new buds that are forming at the top of the tree, and it gave me a little joy that those trees are growing again! I’m grateful for that metamorphosis and encouragement.
The trees stay grounded but they sway with the wind rather than getting knocked down. They give me protection from the hot sun when I’m working in the yard. They soak up excess water when it rains really hard. They stand tall, shed old leaves when the season is right, and rebloom in the spring. And when I am in tree pose, I feel the energy of the trees. I feel connected to the earth and to the sky and to all that around me. I love trees!
Oh my! When first reading today’s question…I had to smile. Yesterday, my husband had to cut down two trees! When we looked out later – no one would ever notice that two trees had been cut down (except for a large amount of debris that is left!!)…..Our home is surrounded by trees…we live in a forest! My husband was/is a forester- and has a great appreciation of trees. Yes; indeed he has cut many in his lifetime…that wood has provided furniture and heat for households and also some paper. When we met he said…”you are a tree hugger” and I guess in many ways I am…and I am proud of that. Some issues such as cutting rainforests, cutting habitat that belongs to animals is all wrong. In his work and in our life he respects the growth of trees and cuts trees to do no harm. He harvested trees on the property to send his daughters to college…so now they are citizens who contribute to society and both have good educations. For me…trees are sacred, they are friends and they help provide for us. I love when we travel and see all the different species….who cannot smile and admire a beautiful Live Oak…what tales they could tell. When we arrived home the other day after three months away- we noticed right away a few trees that had fallen during our recent storms and flooding. I look out my windows and see all the beautiful trees….a lot of tulip poplars, dogwoods, cherry, beech…how Blessed I am to be surrounded with this life. Oh and the two trees that we had to cut …that was so we could have internet access! Due to all the trees we do not have a clear view of the sky for a signal….but the wood from those trees – will heat a neighbors home this winter. Wishing you all a wonderful Monday.
I love trees. Always have. As a child, I
loved to climb them. In my early twenties,
I worked in a cabinet shop and learned a
lot about wood and the different species
and they’re properties and how to work
with them. As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned
to identify many types of trees and they’re
unique traits. Where I live, there’s a beautiful
assortment of trees. Fruit trees, ancient Oaks,
some baby Redwoods (less than 100yes old),
a few buckeye trees, olive trees, the mighty
bay trees, and so many ornamental trees in
people’s yards. Yesterday, I rode through
an area that burned a few years ago and
I’ve been watching the re birth of that
landscape. The resilience is so impressive.
Charlie, I remember not too long ago when I was a kid in the 90s and earlier 2000s where climbing trees was still popular before all the technology, especially Ipads, coming out. I’m glad you were able to have fun doing that.
It seems everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve been able to appreciate and enjoy the trees in my immediate surroundings, be it the beautiful autumn in New England, the towering Redwoods in Northern California, Joshua trees in Southern California or the scraggly sprawling oak trees in Florida
Trees are so majestic. Their presence, for me, is stability, resilience, and companionship. I name my favorite trees. The latest is Sheldon.
The Secret life of Trees is an excellent book.
I like to study trees and speculate on their journey. Like a Teddy Bear that a child has hugged and carried in the backyard dust, left in the hot car, spilled and decorated with his/her food and drink, they both sometimes look worn and torn but is so much luckier than the toy that is left on the shelf or the seed that has never been rooted in the earth. The tree, sometimes snarled and crooked, sometimes tall and majestic, always finds a way to the sun. And that well-worn Teddy Bear knows more about love than most of us.
I love trees, because they’re symbolic of where we come from, where our life is heading, and the inner seasons through the root, branches, and leaves respectively. My root is Vietnamese with an American tree having lived in the US almost all my life and feeling much more comfortable in American social settings. My leaves are green at the age I am still young and in good health.
Externally, they provide shade. Breezes come out of them. It helps those like me who struggle with heat. I have a much easier time with the cold. That’s the effect of living in Minnesota. As far as the leaves go, the changing of the colors makes each season interesting.
I love the trees… They provide shade, they provide oxygen and take away carbon dioxide, they are beautiful, they are colorful, and lastly my favorite, they sway in the wind and bring me calmness. I can sit and watch them sway for hours.
Give yourself the gift of free bi-monthly inspiration including uplifting articles, diverse stories, supportive practices, videos, and more, delivered with heart to your inbox.
I never really appreciated trees that much until I moved out to KY/Ohio area for 4 years where there really isn’t a lot of trees compared to New England. I’ve been learning about trees for the past several years. My son studied about the Environment in College and then worked for the Environment State Dept for a bit. I love that trees cleanse the air.
Anything that grows from a seed is amazing to me,but the strength and majesty of a tree takes on a higher level. For something to grow roots down and life up through the earth is a wonder. As others have said they bend, stand tall, create shade, provide food and needed wood. Their growth is slow, patient and happens in all direction.
Sometimes I take them for granted but when I give pause they are much more complex then a simple trunk with leaves.
I wrote an article about trees for Gratefulness a few years ago. Here’s the link on this site: in the morning.
https://grateful.org/?s=Trees&swpmfe=e797ad6e7e8b736f3495d57dbc21a607
What a special connection. I find myself hopeful to experience it.
I hope that for you, too, Deann. I find that trees also hold energy, which I pick up on.
Thanks for your comment. Take care!
I have come to learn they are so intertwined with me that they are part of me. My origins and condition started in the Garden with the Tree of Life and the tree of knowing good and evil. They are part of my lungs on this earthly garden. They feed me, shelter me, inspire me and guide me. I adore wood and how it transforms into things of beauty like furniture. They are divine.
I love all trees, but two in particular stand out.
One is the huge pine tree that sat outside our house when I was growing up. When the family dysfunction – mother’s drinking, parents; fighting – got too much, I would go outside and sit under the tree. Sometimes with a book, sometimes just daydreaming.
The other is a maple that sat outside our home. When we moved we were going through a rough patch. Seeing that tree every day helped to heal.
Yes, I am a tree hugger (literally.)
I love trees for their many colors, the shapes and textures of leaves, limbs, and bark, the sounds their branches make tossing in the wind, their varied growth patterns, shapes and sizes, the homes they provide for many living creatures, their fruits, seeds, and nuts, for their roots communicating with each other and holding the earth, and for the oxygen they make and the CO2 they convert into all that beauty and bounty.
I recently went to a talk by Julie Ratner, who lives in my community. She uses a device made in Italy that converts the electrical impulses within a tree’s inner workings into sound (“Plants Play”). Fascinating talk, including her comments on the differences between the sounds of a standing tree and one that has been cut down. That stump isn’t dead; a lot of life is still occurring within it and below ground. But it can never give shade again, and she played a clip with the forest and the clearcut of the same tree species in the same areas. I know I’m anthropomorphizing when I say I heard a cry from the stump. You can hear some tree sounds at https://www.restoringearthconnection.org/friends-of-trees.
I write this in a house made of wood surrounded by brand new wood cabinets and old wooden furniture. We consume no matter how careful we are on the land.
Not a living organism on our planet survives without consumption. We happen to be part of a group that will, on the whole, consume much past the metric of necessity. Thank you, Barb, for the reminder to be gentle with our home.
How apropo that I started on this site with this
question today! I took my puppy out this morning
near the dog park which has three trees. It’s difficult to keep the trees alive in that environment, so I noticed the brown and dried leaves that haven’t fallen off the tree. I looked further up the tree, and saw the pretty, new buds that are forming at the top of the tree, and it gave me a little joy that those trees are growing again! I’m grateful for that metamorphosis and encouragement.
The trees stay grounded but they sway with the wind rather than getting knocked down. They give me protection from the hot sun when I’m working in the yard. They soak up excess water when it rains really hard. They stand tall, shed old leaves when the season is right, and rebloom in the spring. And when I am in tree pose, I feel the energy of the trees. I feel connected to the earth and to the sky and to all that around me. I love trees!
Oh my! When first reading today’s question…I had to smile. Yesterday, my husband had to cut down two trees! When we looked out later – no one would ever notice that two trees had been cut down (except for a large amount of debris that is left!!)…..Our home is surrounded by trees…we live in a forest! My husband was/is a forester- and has a great appreciation of trees. Yes; indeed he has cut many in his lifetime…that wood has provided furniture and heat for households and also some paper. When we met he said…”you are a tree hugger” and I guess in many ways I am…and I am proud of that. Some issues such as cutting rainforests, cutting habitat that belongs to animals is all wrong. In his work and in our life he respects the growth of trees and cuts trees to do no harm. He harvested trees on the property to send his daughters to college…so now they are citizens who contribute to society and both have good educations. For me…trees are sacred, they are friends and they help provide for us. I love when we travel and see all the different species….who cannot smile and admire a beautiful Live Oak…what tales they could tell. When we arrived home the other day after three months away- we noticed right away a few trees that had fallen during our recent storms and flooding. I look out my windows and see all the beautiful trees….a lot of tulip poplars, dogwoods, cherry, beech…how Blessed I am to be surrounded with this life. Oh and the two trees that we had to cut …that was so we could have internet access! Due to all the trees we do not have a clear view of the sky for a signal….but the wood from those trees – will heat a neighbors home this winter. Wishing you all a wonderful Monday.
Yes Nannette, the warmth they provide!
I love trees. Always have. As a child, I
loved to climb them. In my early twenties,
I worked in a cabinet shop and learned a
lot about wood and the different species
and they’re properties and how to work
with them. As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned
to identify many types of trees and they’re
unique traits. Where I live, there’s a beautiful
assortment of trees. Fruit trees, ancient Oaks,
some baby Redwoods (less than 100yes old),
a few buckeye trees, olive trees, the mighty
bay trees, and so many ornamental trees in
people’s yards. Yesterday, I rode through
an area that burned a few years ago and
I’ve been watching the re birth of that
landscape. The resilience is so impressive.
Charlie, I remember not too long ago when I was a kid in the 90s and earlier 2000s where climbing trees was still popular before all the technology, especially Ipads, coming out. I’m glad you were able to have fun doing that.
It seems everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve been able to appreciate and enjoy the trees in my immediate surroundings, be it the beautiful autumn in New England, the towering Redwoods in Northern California, Joshua trees in Southern California or the scraggly sprawling oak trees in Florida
Trees are so majestic. Their presence, for me, is stability, resilience, and companionship. I name my favorite trees. The latest is Sheldon.
The Secret life of Trees is an excellent book.
I like to study trees and speculate on their journey. Like a Teddy Bear that a child has hugged and carried in the backyard dust, left in the hot car, spilled and decorated with his/her food and drink, they both sometimes look worn and torn but is so much luckier than the toy that is left on the shelf or the seed that has never been rooted in the earth. The tree, sometimes snarled and crooked, sometimes tall and majestic, always finds a way to the sun. And that well-worn Teddy Bear knows more about love than most of us.
Love this Carol!
I love trees, because they’re symbolic of where we come from, where our life is heading, and the inner seasons through the root, branches, and leaves respectively. My root is Vietnamese with an American tree having lived in the US almost all my life and feeling much more comfortable in American social settings. My leaves are green at the age I am still young and in good health.
Externally, they provide shade. Breezes come out of them. It helps those like me who struggle with heat. I have a much easier time with the cold. That’s the effect of living in Minnesota. As far as the leaves go, the changing of the colors makes each season interesting.
I love the trees… They provide shade, they provide oxygen and take away carbon dioxide, they are beautiful, they are colorful, and lastly my favorite, they sway in the wind and bring me calmness. I can sit and watch them sway for hours.