I have always loved the natural world, particularly trees, whether it was learning about trees in Science class when I was young to yearning to spend time with trees today.  Trees are amazing beings that offer shelter, food and oxygen among many other things.  When I was very young, we would place spruce boughs around the foundation to keep the cold winter air from freezing our pipes. This was one of my earliest introductions to trees, that I can remember, and their gift to us was the warmth that they provided.

When we moved from the small town out to the country, I was thrilled to be surrounded by trees.  I was given a tree identification booklet and I was able to quickly tell the difference between the White Pines and the Jack Pines, the Oak versus the Maple and so on.  My father wanted to tap some of the maples on the property and that was exciting.  My job was to check the levels of sap in the buckets and report back.  When we harvested the sap, we made maple syrup and poured it on the snow.  It was a great sweet treat! Another gift of the trees in the form of sweet golden syrup that brought a big smile to my face.

When I was older, I learned about how trees take in carbon dioxide and water and use the energy of the sun to convert this into sugars to feed the tree. A by-product of this process is oxygen which is produced and released by the tree.  Another gift and a very important one, oxygen, the breath of life. 

As I reflect on my experiences with trees, I can’t help but feel gratitude to these beings who always seemed to give, give, give.  How do we return the favour?  There are obvious ways such as planting trees and donating to organizations who work to preserve old growth forests.  This is great if you have the resources to do such things, but what about if you don’t? My suggestion is to send your gratitude and love for trees energetically through space and time to them or sit yourself down beside one and lean your back up against their trunk (ask permission if you can sit by them first of course).  Allow their wisdom and grace to seep through your body.  Trees in my opinion are the great healers.  When my uncle Larry was battling leukemia and forced to stay in the city for treatments, he wrote this poem which my grandmother later included in her book, “Homestead Collections”. He wrote:

The Maple Tree

That beautiful maple tree growing,

Down by the brook that runs flowing

Sometimes I dream I can see it-

That beautiful maple tree growing.

This place where I’m staying is crazy

Just cold concrete and stone,

With irons that cover the window

To keep me from going back home.

Oh Lord, I wish I could see it –

And Lord, I wish I could be it

That beautiful maple tree growing.

When I was a kid I would climb it

A friend when no one was there-

My big brother to hold me in his arms

Way high in the air!

Written by Larry MacMaster, 1977.

As I read this I am transported to a space where I can feel Uncle Larry’s love of nature and his love for that tree.  I believe that this tree brought him peace during a time that was very uncertain for him. Again, trees are great healers.

Do you have a favorite tree that you cherish from childhood, or one that you notice on your daily commute to work?  Try connecting with your tree and send it love and gratitude for all that it does for us.  There is something special that will be felt between you that words cannot really describe.  Perhaps, you will begin to see trees from a different perspective.