the spiritual practice of planting trees
the world began
with a bang
with intelligent design
with life
I don't know how
I don't know when
I don't really care
what I know for sure is that
my existence today
is thanks to
the passing
and passing
and passing
of words
stories
knowledge
wisdom
life
life on this planet
one long relay race
of passing the baton from one to the next
"here"
"take this"
"do this"
"tend this"
"keep this safe"
"pay attention to this"
"this is what matters"
"protect this"
"remember this"
carrying the baton
of what we've been told
what we've learned
how we've grown
and then, passing it on to someone else
maybe it's a child
maybe it's the world more broadly
to animals
to plants that grow and carry life within them
the next generation
of life carriers
it is unlikely that I will ever birth
a child from my womb
but I am committed to birthing
so much life into this world
transferring whatever I can
to whomever I can
to whatever I can
in any way that I can
leaving this world a little better
than it was
when it was handed to me
even if that is just this acre of land beneath my feet
how can I make this better?
more beautiful?
more fruitful?
most recently, I have been carrying my baton by planting trees
digging holes
dropping seeds
adding water
and dirt
and care
and concern
and hope
that this cottonwood tree
this poplar
this hackberry
this juniper
outlives me
by decades
the hope that these trees
grow big
and tall
and broad
that they bring birds
and butterflies
squirrels
and raccoons
shade
and relief from the heart-breaking sunshine
this is not a short game
a limited strategy
a quick fix
no
this is a long game
an expansive dream
a grand design
the daily watching
and watering
and tending
is a tangible and spiritual practice
that says:
I have hope
I believe so strongly
in the capacity for life
--beyond my time here--
that will carry this baton
that will tend to these trees
I trust that you will take good care
And so I will keep
digging
dropping
watering
tending
for the sake of hope
