Trees continue to be a major focus for me. I mentioned the tree this week in Tai Chi classes, feeling our legs and feet sprouting roots deep into the earth. Feeling rooted, strong, stable, tall. I searched out the famous poem by Joyce Kilmer, that I loved when I was a child:
TREES
“I think that I will never see, a poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed, against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day, and lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear, a nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain, who immediately lives with rain.
Poems are made for fools like me, but only God can make a tree.”
It’s not by accident that we see people doing Tai Chi in a park, close to the trees. They draw energy from the trees and trees are a reminder of what we aspire to be like. The Taoists lived closely with nature and have informed us about lessons learned from a tree. It uses what comes its way to nurture and grow. The roots are deep and absorb the water that comes its way. The limbs and branches reach out to the sun, absorbing it’s life-giving energy. It is efficient, steady and follows the rhythms of the seasons.
May we all set some intention to learn from and be more like a tree.