Yesterday was beautiful out so my husband and I went for a walk around our neighborhood. He noticed an evergreen tree that was quite large but was only growing on one side. The other side of the tree had branches from a neighboring tree leaning against it.
My husband asked, “Why do you suppose that pine tree only grew on one side like that?” looking up at the side with the branches.
I opened my mouth and out came these words without so much as a thought passing through my brain: “Do you see the neighboring tree that is leaning into the evergreen and connecting to it’s bark? It is putting additional stress by imposing on the evergreen where there are no branches. If I leaned on you like that for years (I put my arm heavily on his shoulder) you too might feel drained, depleted of nourishment. If you’ll notice there are no other trees around for the evergreen to gain strength or support from.”
Did I really just say that?! I love it when God pours out wisdom at just the right moments.
Consider this; the root system of the Redwood trees in the Sequoia National Park extend and overlap into other Redwoods roots. As I understand it, when one tree is stressed the root system of the neighboring trees will supply the nutrients needed for bringing about restoration and good health. What a marvelous system! Nature’s cycle of life is perfect in its interconnectedness. We are all connected to life through support systems just as the creator designed.
What about us? Are we open to being interconnected like that and share our strengthening nourishment for others or are we too busy to offer support?
A friend of mine ran into a buddy of his who asked him the standard American question, “How are you?” to which people rarely wait for the normal response of, “I’m fine thanks” before they walk away.
My friend said he was feeling particularly sad the day he ran into him so he felt like sharing when his buddy asked how he was. He spoke from his heart by saying, “You know, I’m feeling a bit sad today because…” and quickly stated, in a matter of fact way, what was troubling him so as not to over-burden his friend’s time.
When he finished the buddy replied, “Dude, you need therapy!” He laughed, rolled his eyes and walked away shaking his head.
Are we like the evergreen, afraid to get involved for fear of being over-burdened so we do whatever we can to get away? Or are we more like the Redwood, open to sharing and growing by reaching new levels of growth no matter the situation?
My question is, what would happen if his buddy chose the path of the Redwood tree root system and asked instead, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Perhaps you still have a long ways to go in learning about your own interconnectedness so, by all means, lets grow together. Lets do it by reaching for new heights, new challenges, new relationships and lets do it in a way that is connected to other tribe mates so they will never forget you.
“Talk to your tribe from the heart and they will engage in conversation with you during transformational moments. Talk to them from your head and they may walk away unchanged.” ~ Kellie
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Kellie,
I enjoyed your analogy between these two trees. I would much rather be the Redwood. The root system may not extend deep into the earth, but instead these huge tree send out support systems to other redwoods to hold the whole together. What an awesome concept. Thanks for reminding me of this fact,
Val
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Kellie Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 5:43 am
I’m with you Val. We are the support system but we are not the link to life itself. That is much greater than what we are and although we’ll never fully understand nature to it’s highest degree, I’m very grateful for such a rich blessing of enjoying it no matter where I am. Hope you have an awesome week!
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Kellie,
I love the way you weave gorgeous metaphors from nature into your writing. This is one is especially powerful! I not only learned something new about Redwoods, but I also am now thinking about ways that I am interconnected with others and vice versa.
That scene on the street you reenacted is unfortunately so indicative of where our culture is. It’s almost like the friend’s response was a line from a sit-com! Why are we so afraid to open our hearts and listen to those who need our support? The power of doing so works both ways, after all, yet it is shyed away from all too often.
~Mary Lou
.-= Mary Lou Kayser´s last blog ..You Check the Oil in Your Car Every 3000 Miles…But When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Passion? =-.
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Kellie Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 5:46 am
Mary Lou you are very kind. We all tend to walk the other side of the street at times, and when we do, I often wonder if our own fear is the stumbling block. The ‘not enough’ concept can say we don’t have enough time to listen, we don’t have enough skill to help if need be, etc. It’s human I suppose but I’m grateful to a creator who never passes the opportunity to bring comfort through us, or even through a redwood.
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I, for one, am totally guilty of avoiding interactions. I’m always so busy that I tend to walk on the other side of the street if I see someone coming that I know… fearing how much time I’ll have to chat about the weather, or the latest school budget. But, you’re right of course, Kellie. I should extend myself more in those situations. I am, on the other hand, more intertwined with people with whom I share common cause and effort.
So, for instance, I find myself more than willing to give my time freely to a tribe fellow who might be struggling with creating a certain blog post, while shrugging off a neighbor who wants to chat about last night’s basketball game. Maybe it’s just that I feel I can be of assistance in one instance, but only a sounding board in the other. I’ll have to explore my interactions more carefully and try to avoid the pitfalls of losing my connectedness.
Thanks for the eye-opener, Kellie.
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Kellie Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 5:49 am
Suffice it to say we aren’t able to be all things to all people, nor do we need to try. Our ability to give is in direct correlation with our desires so what you are saying makes sense to me. Whether it’s right or wrong is simply a matter of perception I believe. It would be nice if we were all perfect on earth, but if we were, there would be no need for God.
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Beautiful post Kellie,
I love redwoods, they are one of my favorite trees ever.
I am here for anyone that needs any kind of support system
Redwood trees are old and wise, they are beautiful and when I see them I say to them “Thank you for being so beautiful, thank you for loving me, I love you back!”
Blessings
Jeremy
.-= Jeremy Creager´s last blog ..What does the ego fear the most? It is Love, Self Love, Selfish Love and Selfless Love!!! Welcome to the SHADOW Side! =-.
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Kellie Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 5:50 am
Thanks for sharing Jeremy. Imagine if we all shared those same sentiments with people on a daily basis. Nice.
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Kellie,
´s last blog ..The Law Of Laws (part 2) =-.
I love your Nature story. It actually invited my favorite thought in my mind that we are all connected with each other and also with nature. We are all one. And what we see in our universes is what we create from our internal world which manifests in a physical reality.
Amuzing, thought provoking and wise.
Thank you,
Venus
.-= Venus
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Kellie Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 5:51 am
I believe as you do Venus, that we are all one. Thanks for stopping by.
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Kellie,
I am like the redwood. Yes I worry sometimes and have concerns but the Bible says, Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall, and 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I go to my tribe mates to help me but I also have a real God that cares for me and He is bigger than any problem, worry or concern I have.
Thanks for writing such a great article!
.-= Michael Feil´s last blog ..Day 1 Of Empowered Tribe In San Diego =-.
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Kellie Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 5:53 am
I don’t know whether to shout “AMEN!” or “You GO Mike!”
I am with you on that and the way you love people Mike it is apparent to me that you know the creator. There is no greater compliment than that. Thanks for being you.
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An interesting post, Kellie. Though I think the water sharing phenomenon among redwoods is an urban myth* (he says, putting his hort science degree to use at last!), the idea that we humans to support each other sure stands.
– Stew
* only mutant albino redwoods have been known to obtain nutrients parasitically from surrounding trees because they have no chlorophyll in their leaves to make their own food.
.-= Stew Shaw´s last blog ..Add All Ingredients Except Octopus! =-.
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Kellie Reply:
March 27th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Hi Stew,
I’m always open to new learning!
Thank you for the science lesson. From my limited knowledge there is mycorrhizal fungus that takes sugars and nutrients created by photosynthesis from the tree’s root system. The fungus does not have the enzymes needed to take nutrients from the soil, so its survival depends on finding and attaching to a host tree. This is how I came to my conclusion that in many cases these are considered symbiotic relationship within the root system of redwoods. I felt it was a good analogy to use in correlation to humans when we are feel less than stellar.
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Kellie, this was a great post. I hope you don’t mind but I’m gonna take your thoughts and share them with my team. Giving you credit of course! they will so apply to my team that I can’t wait.
.-= Bill Cowan´s last blog ..Motivational Tip #3 Dare To Dream =-.
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Kellie Reply:
March 27th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
You may use my information at any time Bill and thank you for sharing. As Stew pointed out, I perhaps needed to be more specific in my analogy but I still feel it definitely applies.
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