Reflecting on Trees

#9 in the series of non-religious Sunday posts

“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.
Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful.”
-Alice Walker—

Trees hold untold stories.

While walking the labyrinth at Arlington Garden in Pasadena, California I stopped to stare at this tree and wonder about the stories it held. “Ah,” I said, “You have stood tall and gathered the thoughts and meditations of those who walk under your branches! I cannot imagine the stories you could tell!”

Picture taken in Arlington Garden—Pasadena, CA

The variety of trees in the Seattle area fascinates me. One day, as I was walking near the home where I was visiting, I took pictures of all the varieties of trees in the front yards of neighboring houses. Trees do not fit in a look-alike box!

The rough estimate of all the tree species in the world currently stands at 65,065, distributed in all countries worldwide. Other research papers also estimate that the number may be as high as 73,000, but more work is necessary to update this information. (Source)

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Scott and I lived in an RV Park outside the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs for several years. (This story is shared at our RV Home Yet? Website). The RV park was a place of healing and the setting for many walks. My walks almost always included the tree below, which inspired me as I healed.

This description was included in BRAVE: Healing Childhood Trauma.

While you are enjoying the view of Pikes Peak, I will stop to show you my tree. It was dead but still grew. New life sprang from the dead hollow trunk and formed a perfectly healthy tree. It is a picture of my transformation, and I always stop and ponder my healing journey and its likeness to this miracle tree.

“In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike.
And no two journeys along the same path are alike.”
― Paulo Coelho—