Recently I read a book which was narrated by a tree!*
This tree had grown from a cutting taken from a tree
destroyed in an area of civil war. It had been carried by a
refugee and planted in a country where it was not native -
and it struggled with the climate. The theme of this book
was that later generations still bear the scars of trauma experienced by an
older generation. Trees (like people) bear the "memory" of its parent tree.
It made me start thinking about trees.
This summer I watched as a tree in my garden struggled with the extreme
heat, and its leaves started turning brown. This was happening throughout
the UK and referred to as an “early Autumn”. We are in autumn proper
now, a season I love because of the way the colours change in the trees
and all those beautiful shades of orange, brown, red and yellow. We are
so lucky in Mid-Trent to have so many and be surrounded by such lovely,
wooded areas. But trees still need our love and care.
...Trees (like people) bear the "memory" of its parent...
I love the fact that trees live for so much longer than us. There are trees
in the village that were tiny when I first moved here. Now these trees are
huge, and they give me so much pleasure, especially a horse chestnut with
its candles in spring, and conkers in autumn! The trees of Weston, God
willing, will still be there when my great- great - grandchildren are around,
long after I am gone!
I was very sad to hear of the death of The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest,
although I have a sneaking suspicion, I may be one of those who hastened
its demise! I remember, as a child, standing in the hollow in its centre,
playing Robin Hood. Apparently, the constant footfall around its roots did
not do its roots any good! The Major Oak is estimated to be 800 to 1,100
years old, so it witnessed events maybe back in 926 AD and really could
have witnessed Robin Hood, certainly his real medieval colleagues -
I imagine that having such a memory would be mind-blowing!
Thinking about such trees, helps me to get my head round how long God
and Jesus have been around! St Paul in his letter to the Colossians said of Jesus
“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see...”
( Colossians chapter 1, verses 15 to 16). Jesus was there when the first tree sprung up, he is here with me now
and he will be still there when this earth finally passes away.
Paul goes on to say,
“God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,
and through him God reconciled everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”
(Colossians chapter 1, verses 19 to 20)
.. Trees remind me of God and Jesus ....
In the bible, the cross is often referred to as “the tree”. God created us,
loved us so much he sent Jesus to save us from our sins, and he will be
with us for all eternity. I think that is something we should join with the
trees to give thanks for:
Let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
O, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
(1 Chronicles chapter 16, verses 32 to 34).
With every blessing,
Vivienne.
