The trees have finally leafed out and my soul feels like it is wrapped in a sea of green. The tree at the northeast corner of my house can be seen from two windows. It is the tree that is visible from my desk and where I often see a squirrel napping on one of the lower branches. I am grateful to the previous owners for having the foresight to plant trees. It takes no more than a few hours to plant a tree, but the rewards last for decades. If every homeowner planted at least one tree on their property, the benefits to other species and to the planet would be immeasurable. Ideally, they should plant several trees. In The Hidden Life of Trees, written by Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst, it is revealed that trees have families to which they are connected underground. It must be lonely to be the only tree on the block.
Trees have many favorable attributes that most people are aware of. They provide shade. They can cool our homes in the intensity of summer heat. They provide privacy and serve as a barrier to brutal snowstorms. Many have flowers that are appreciated by emerging insects in spring, before other flowers have bloomed. They are beautiful to look at and they add height to a flat landscape. They help to hold the soil in place and prevent erosion. They offer home and food to millions of insects – especially oak trees – and to birds and even some mammals. Trees do much more than the obvious; however. Trees are the perfect mentor if we are willing to absorb their wisdom. They have worked out how to give and take, how to bend in the wind, and how to remain rooted in being. To sit and gaze at a tree is kind of like looking into the eyes of another human being. They do not have the mobility that we are accustomed to, but they do not seem to mind. They have the advantage of an elevated point of view and can “see” for miles. When I observe a very ancient tree, I often wonder what secrets it has kept. What has it been privy to over the course of its lifetime?
Scientists have told us that planting trees can make a big difference in reversing the damage that is being caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. It would actually take about 500 trees to sequester all of the carbon created by just one human being in a year. If you want to lessen your carbon footprint, consider planting at least one tree this summer. You can find inexpensive, small saplings at the Arbor Day Foundation, or if you wait until closer to autumn, many trees are sold at half price. If you do not have property on which to plant one, there are forests that will happily accept your donation.
