I remember when my twins were Morgan's age. They were as different as night and day. Bobby had an affection for trees. I use that word loosely. There was a rather large oak right outside his bedroom window. He would cry if the blinds were not open so he could see his tree. When he started walking, one of the first things he did was meet the tree. He would hug it, talk to it, make up stories about this tree. He truly loved trees. Not just this one, but any tree.
Six years and 20 months later his baby brother Morgan is beginning to explore the great outdoors. And he is discovering trees! I watched him meet grass, water puddles, flowers, dragonflies, but the most wondrous expression came over his face when he hugged his first tree.
We walk to school every day, Morgan and I. He in his little stroller and me humming and chattering behind him. Our neighborhood is full of trees, in fact most of the way to the school is overhung with oaks, pines, forsythia and other flowering trees. Morgan like to look at them. He likes to play with flying blossoms in Spring and now he is beginning to notice the shades of olive, brown, and gold that are popping up in leaves everywhere.
I have to say it was a very long walk because Morgan had to check every bush, every plant, every flower he came in contact with so the stroller made frequent stops. When we finally arrived, a good 30 minutes after leaving, Morgan wanted out. I strongly suspect his days of being wheeled around are long gone. He is now an independent explorer out to conquer the world!
Or at least what he can see of it.
The first this he did after his feet touched the ground was hug a tree. It was a narrow tree, not sure what variety, just a tree. Morgan didn't seem to mind. The tree didn't seem to mind. All was good. It made us a couple of minutes late snagging his brothers from school, but how often did he have a chance to bond with tall leafy woodsy things. Of all the times for me to leave the digital at home, this was one of the times I wished I had not.
Morgan didn't just hug the tree, he explored every inch his little hands could find. He played with the roots, the leaves, the thin branches that hung over and were low enough for him to reach, the little gnome door at the base, there was very little Morgan did not notice about the tree. His eye were lit up, his smile huge, and his head back as far as he could possibly get it to try and see the top of the tree.
A few minutes later we snagged his brothers and were off and the adventure began all over again. Bobby chattered with Morgan about his favorite trees and asked questions about Morgan's tree. Morgan had a happy excited squeal for every one.
Watching my son embrace Nature the way I did and the way my youngest twin did also does my heart good. It makes me proud to know that another generation will grow up loving trees, seeing faces in the branches and bark, and being still to hear their wisdom. While one son asks if there was a Goddess in the tree, the other is just beginning to explore his world. One day he will ask me the same thing. I will tell him to close his eyes and listen, Her voice is in the breezes and Her face is in the leaves.
