Look Up, Look Way Up!
A Year of Noticing - Day 263
When I was in University I had a beautiful poster hanging on my wall of three trees from Carmanah Park in British Columbia. The way the sunlight sparkled off the vibrant green of the tallest trees I’d ever seen (even if just in the picture) was an inspiration as I studied.
I loved the image in that poster even more after I had a chance to visit that magical, old growth forest and walk among the incredible trees when I lived in British Columbia during my third year of University. There was an energy and magic that was palpable while exploring the forest, that was hard to put words into or describe to others - it was simply a feeling of absolute awe, fascination and wonder, mixed with ancient wisdom, love, beauty. Every shade of green seemed to exist in that forest, from the ferns to the mosses, the leaves on the highest branches of the trees to the variety of plants growing in the underbrush.
I haven’t thought about those trees in nearly twenty five years… until today.
This afternoon, as I was waiting for one of my children to finish their final exams, I was sitting on a bench in front of the school and noticed the deep grooves in the trunk of the tree in front of me. It has a massive trunk, larger than I can wrap my arms around.
Just like the “Friendly Giant” encouraged in the introduction of the children’s television show back in the 80’s, I felt the invitation to “look up, look waaaaaay up”… (along with the lilting music of “Early One Morning”… during a slower paced time of living)…
… and as I looked up, with the sun shining through the leaves, I felt as thought I was transported back to the tall trees in Carmanah.
The way the sun was shining down through the canopy of the trees, with the massive trunk of the tree in front of me filled me with that feeling of absolute awe and wonder of this incredible standing being in front of me. This tree that has stood in this space for possibly more than one hundred years… watching the river flow by, shading thousands of people in the hot summer sun, listening to fascinating conversations and those also more mundane.
A protector, standing tall and strong as all of us, two legged beings journey past everyday… not quite as old as many of the trees in the old growth forest of Carmanah, but this tree shared that same energy of wisdom, love and beauty today.
All I needed to do was to look up, notice and receive.
I wonder if there are some trees near you, simply waiting for you to notice.
xo
You can find (and read) any/all the previous posts in A Year of Noticing HERE.