I witness you as you grow from a seed.
Totally dependent and trusting of the elements to arise from the ground.
Strong.
I watch as you withstand all the storms that come your way.
No matter the intensity of the rain,
or the wind
or the beating hot sun
and even the fires.
There you stay.
You stand there strong,
Rooted.
Into the ground.
And you teach me how to love unconditionally.
Your tree bark widens with time
and every year I see you grow
A little wider,
A little stronger,
A little wiser.
In the right moment,
at your pace,
Your leaves grow from your branches
until they bloom into the evergreen
luminescent beauty that you are
Until one day they fall.
And even when you are naked,
Bare,
and free from dead leaves.
You are beautiful.
You are a nesting place,
Where I find solace
and where I feel at home.
If it is too sunny, you provide me with shade.
If it is too hot, you cool the temperatures.
If the air is entangled with dirt from the city, you clean it.
If i need shelter, you give me a home.
If I am cold, you give me warmth by the fire.
And there you are,
constantly giving
and nurturing me.
Asking nothing from me,
Loving me unconditionally.
You stand there beautifully,
You don’t try to change
or do things differently.
YOU JUST ARE
You are my home,
My warmth,
My solace,
My teacher,
My friend.
You provide me with EVERYTHING.
And even saying so, the words I speak sound so meaningless when I look at you.
So what to do other than acknowledge that your presence is enough.
You are my teacher,
You are my friend,
and you teach me,
that my presence is enough
And how to love unconditionally”
- Poem shared at the opening of Primal Gathering Reforestation Day
