Growing in Gratitude
Loving up on our leafy neighbors
I'm not the Lorax, but I speak for the trees. When I was a sapling, I dreamed of being an ambassador, a savvy, many faced link between nations. But lately, I've been speaking the language of plants and beasts, wondering what they have to say in a human designed world.
When I communicate with trees, our conversations are never too intellectual. We speak with our attention and growth. If I see one on a stroll, we begin our correspondence with coy politeness and some mutual admiration. The tree may rustle its leaves in the cool wind or produce fragrant beads of sweet dew at the center of its blossoms. Then I, in my shy curiosity, may give a sideways glance and tentatively press on a damp patch of moss growing on its trunk.
As I look up at the fractals of the blooming canopy, I radiate a wave of gratitude, stemming from who knows where. I guess if this feeling were translated it'd sound something like “I'm thankful for the shade you provide, it cools the ground and protects the micro-ecosystem thriving on your roots. You shield pedestrians from the worst of the rain and absorb the excess to protect the streets from flooding. You're very smart, I like the way you do things”
Now, I say this at every party I go to: Material function is not the only measure of worth! I can write pages about the practical benefits of neighborhood flora. Cypress, Palm, and Pine trees promote biodiversity and provide structure in a shifting urban landscape. But what about beauty, what about shapely wooden bodies, basking in the sun? Trees can be solid, squat, with a wild mass of green hair. They can twist, bend, and wrap around obstacles like dancers at play. They are well versed in philosophy: In the fall they prime us for the death of things, in the spring they reveal that death is an illusion in the face of pink blossoms.
When I’m walking through cities, the selfishness of our designs can bring me down. It’s obvious when neighborhoods are built by board meetings. Sterile patches of grass, parking lots like heated stovetops, and a dystopian absence of wildlife. I need trees to remind me of my fellow earthlings: the squirrel, the lizard, and the industrious ants who all live in them like we live in apartment buildings.
I imagine that babies, open minded as they are, must also benefit from the bright glimpses of green they get from their strollers. As their parents push them from behind, they are observing the world on their own. They are taking note. In their earliest years, they should be witnessing foundational shapes and natural relationships, not just the round shape of a cocomelon character’s head. A child’s budding consciousness benefits from seeing a natural landscape of leaves, fruits, birds, and bees. If they’re blessed, a wayward piece of dandelion fluff will land on their face, make them sneeze and wonder.
When they grow a bit older they may climb one of these living monuments or shake its branches to cover the ground with a carpet of petals. They may sit on the the snaking roots of a banyan tree while gossiping with their friends. They may steal a stray mango, the sticky pit and the flowing juice making them forget all their problems. As they enter adulthood they may come to include trees in the list of guardians who provided necessary structure and helped them develop.
This appreciation and respect for trees must be engineered nowadays, it can’t be helped. The forests have shrunk, and mother earth is no longer a maid. Humans have charmed her, tamed her, laid waste to her most precious gardens. 5 billion of us will be living in cities by 2030. In our sophisticated expansion, we should take the form and function of trees into account.
The maples and oaks you pass by on your way to Stop n Shop are not just strategically placed decorations. They are a reminder of what was there before and what we should be looking forward to. More importantly, they are your neighbors so don’t be afraid to form a little bond with them. Don’t let their hard exterior fool you. They are just as soft, moody, and reactive as you are. And they need your support.
