"You know, I go and talk to the trees sometimes," I said to my mother. "And they talk back," she said. "Yeah, they do. I've always felt connected to trees and mountains." "And you thought you were crazy when they said things?," she replies. "For a tiny bit, but no not really. They've always talked to me, every since I was little. Those mountains right after the checkpoint before Van Horn always said hi to me on my trips back to El Paso. It took me a while to realize that it wasn't my imagination." "Yeah, they're fucking wise, they've seen it all," my mother says.
Trees are individual living beings, just like us humans, and so they have many many different voices, experiences, and ways of communicating what it is they want to say. This is no big deal or shocking to ancient cultures or traditions, but many modern ways of thought are not so keen in believing this to be true or valid. For me, that trees can and do communicate is a given.
Living on this island with some gorgeous trees, I have developed a deeper appreciation for nature. When I take pictures of trees, I often feel like I am taking a picture of a dear friend. I have grown as a person, as a fellow existent being on this earth, and the trees have taught me how. They let me name them whatever I feel comfortable with, and so I have many different names for the trees I've developed relationships with over the years. Some I call Mark or Tim, and there's a group of them I call the Grandmother trees because they were in a recurring dream I had since I was a child.
This island has been a blessing to me. I feel as if I was somehow meant to be here, somehow things were planned in my favor so that I could have access to these particular trees, and so I as a person could grow and prosper.
These trees have told me stories, about past ancetries and connections and have made it more clear for me who I am and what I want to become. They have helped me understand and evaluate the paths I've taken in my life, and they are patient with me when I am still learning and making mistakes. They have felt and heard my joy, my pain, my tears, my happiness. They have seen me fall in love a multitude of times, and they have been there for me as faithful friends who I can speak to when I feel nobody else might or is able to listen.
They also tell me that I come from a long line of healers. They know my ancient family. How healers and trees always go hand in hand. And as much as I avoided it, felt like I could perhaps escape what I knew was always inside me and maybe take a radically different path with my life, the trees patiently reminded me that I am good at what I do and that my gifts are meant to be shared, and that if I do this, this will bring me the happiness I need more than any other thing in the world. They are teaching me how to heal like they do, patiently, kindly, and without expectation and with lots of understanding, wisdom, and love.
They teach me how to smile and how to be incredibly patient. They remind me of the fact that although I am very sensitive and can feel people regardless of distance, I must always let others make their own decisions, it is the only way for I cannot control anyone or anything, I can only full heartedly embrace what comes to me in this life. Essentially, the trees are teaching me how to be more like them, patient observers, how to maintain my humanity while still being able to think like a tree. More timeless, more patient, more willing to inspire, and most of all, how to love unconditionally despite pain or arrogance or misunderstanding. I am learning from the trees how not to become angry quickly. I am learning from the trees how to love without ever expecting.
These trees here are changing my life, and to them I am eternally grateful. I know that these lessons will serve me well in the future, that when I must leave this island, both the trees and I will be a bit sad, but glad that we were part of each others' journeys, and we can always talk to each other in our dreams.
To me, the trees talk, they listen as well as they give advice. They have souls and life, and are capable of lots of love. I am grateful that despite all the experiences in my life, I have never forgotten how to listen to the trees. It is a capacity I possess that must be used wisely, and that is what I intend to do.
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