Smith - more thoughts on trees

In class we discussed the significance of trees in our lives, and why they are so important to us. Everybody has a story about a tree! I talked about how my dad took me to visit the church where he grew up, a church that he had helped build. I was looking at all the big trees around me, and my dad told me that he had planted them himself. That really struck me, that something someone so close to me had done had created such a large result. I didn’t think my dad thought much of the experience, but the other day he brought up these trees completely unprompted. I think part of the reason trees fascinate us so much is because they are a symbol of unwavering strength. They push their roots deep into the ground, stabilizing themselves against harsh storms and winds. They take years to grow strong, but once they’re rooted it takes a lot for them to fall. I think we want to be like them, able to withstand the biggest tempests of our lives. I don’t know if it’s like this everywhere or if my neighbors are just kind of odd, but when a tree falls down in our neighborhood, it gets posted everywhere for everyone to hear about. People will drive by just to look at the fallen tree. I’m not sure why it becomes such a big event, but maybe it’s out of reverence, a way of mourning something that once stood so strong.