I’ve been hanging out with a lot of trees lately. I take Monty on walks in the hills behind our apartment. It’s where we hear the coyotes howl at night. I don’t know where they go during the day. The more I’m around the trees the more picturesque they become. Suddenly I find myself staring at one tree for a really long time. It’s just standing there, its leaves making gentle sounds, and I feel captivated like I’m watching some kind of brilliant theatre. It’s just a tree! But hang out long enough with them, and they share a little wisdom. I started photographing them on my phone because…I felt like it. And my phone is more like a camera with phone capabilities.
When I was a kid I used to think that wind was caused by trees. In fact I may have thought that up to an unforgivable age, but science was never my strong suit. But in my simple brain, since when it was windy I would hear the rustling of branches and leaves, I equated wind with tress. Finally during a dead, wintery day in Colorado, the cold blew against my face and I looked around at the dried up trees around me. There were no leaves rustling, the dried skeletal branches cracked, and it was clear that wind came from somewhere else. Currents cause wind, which in turn rustles the leaves. The real culprit was something invisible yet immensely powerful. So yesterday I sat in the sun and listened to the leaves rustle while Monty chewed a tennis ball to bits. I watched as an invisible current moved through everything and it struck me why I thought the way I did about wind as a kid. It also had me thinking about human beings and our respective passions and purposes. When you’re really excited about something, whether its writing or painting or singing or chemistry…it doesn’t really matter what…there’s something greater moving through you and guiding the art form. In fact I think that’s one way to define genius, or greatness or expertise– opening oneself enough to allow something invisible and quiet to move through you, leaving either art or authenticity in its path, and each time raising the bar. I don’t see being creative as only limited to the arts. I think there are creative ways to do math, and practice politics, and learn history. There are also creative ways to love someone, dress yourself, and give gifts. It hit me there under the sun, that we human beings are the trees. The creative and appeasing truth is the current, and individuals are just the rustling leaves making the noise.
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” -Picasso
Health, Happiness, Trees
FibroM.E.-Awesome 
I really love your metaphor of people being the leaves/trees. Gives a new sense of meaning to that idea that we just need to let go of all that we can’t control (pretty much everything but our own minds) and let ‘the creative and appeasing truth’ as you put it, have its way with us…
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Just this morning I was waxing poetic to my husband about the trees at the bus stop. It’s the one good thing about riding the bus. I may actually miss it some day.
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Whenever I think about trees, I think about regeneration. I was scared of trees when I was young because of its weird posture, especially at night. We are the leaves, which are green and lively. Over time, green leaves will turn to be red and yellow. Our life is just like a leave circle. When I am hoping something, I usually look at the tree. Have gone the old leaves, here come the brand new greeny ones.
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Beautiful metaphor. I think the whole earth, trees, water, rocks, sky and everything, is like writing, and we would really learn a lot if we could read it.
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Agreed. Next week I’ll try hanging out with rocks.
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They’re surprisingly good company I hear.
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I have grown to love trees. They are so unique and kind of mysterious to me. It’s such an overwhelming and kind of creepy feeling when I’m outside at night alone and the wind is blowing through the huge trees above me…I feel so small and insignificant to nature.
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I feel the same way on walks with Monty. It’s even better when birds chirp at night.
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Love trees! The artists santeri tuori did a really cool piece on trees and it felt the way you feel, that wind was caused by trees, but more importantly that it was all encompassing, asking you to be a tree too.
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Cool thanks for the artist rec.We’re all just a bunch a trees! (I’m the weak dead winter trees)
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Ooh, I like it! I always remember one of the guys in the Rolling Stones (the one Jack Sparrow was based on) saying how he didnt create the music, he was just the antenna for picking it up.
really nice post. :)
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thanks dude! always a good lesson from the stones..
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Hey dear. I was wondering what your experience was with heart palpitations. Ive been having them for about 2wks now, and I had an EKG, and blood work done and everything was normal.
I’m at a loss of what to do or how to help them reduce. Do you have any insight…?
Thanks!
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Hey, not to stick my nose in anything. But, I found out I had a gluten allergy and one of my most common symptoms was heart palpitations. I too had an EKG but nobody could help me. I would suggest an eastern med. dr.,(could be allergy) or celiacs specialist, or both.
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Hey, thanks for the info. So yours would act up anytime you ate wheat? Or bread…I was always confused as to what a gluten allergy was.
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Yes both. It’s an extremely overwhelming allergy to learn about because at first it seems like gluten is in everything. However, after you learn about the basics, fruits, veggies, rice, gluten free noodles, meat, you can start to adjust and if it’s the case then start to feel better. However, you might just have an allergy to dairy, nuts, soy or something else. So, you might need to go to allergy specialist. Not a lot of western doctors are as quick to point the finger to allergies as eastern doctors are…don’t know why, so that’s the reason for a specialist. Or some Doctors practice eastern and western medicine, those are the super helpful ones.
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Yeah, I got em. I have a heart murmur…it’s pretty common with CFS. Usually not serious, just annoying. I take atenalol for low blood volume which also stabilizes heart rate. Anyway, stress will only make it worse and if all your tests came back normal, just add it to the list of bizarre and elusive cfs symptoms. ;) stay hydrated and watch your caffeine intake.
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Yea, about a month ago I was drinking caffinnee everyday, but I’ve since stopped (for about 4 wks so far) — and the palps are still on and off. Do they just come randomly for you? They are sooo nerve racking for me. I feel like I get hot flashes and all worked up when they happen. Or else just nervous. CFS was never mentioned by any Dr’s that I saw. What are some of the symptoms? I know I can google this but that’s just kinda overwhelming sometimes
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Since I have been slowing my life down drastically in the past month, I’ve spent most afternoons sitting on my comfy couch and enjoying the view from my window. Winter trees and mountains, each beautiful in their own way. Great post as usual Mary!
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Thanks dude..I live at windows ;)
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oh, I forgot to mention that you and your readers are my inspiration for slowing down. I treat myself to a 2 hour nap or sitting down gazing out the window session every afternoon. It has helped me tremendously with my fibro/cfs symptoms. So, thanks!
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Enjoyed your post, as usual. Love the pictures, too. I was looking at some of the trees around our mountain property over the weekend. Some of your shots reminded me of that and brought back the peace I felt at the time. Thanks!
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:-)
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Beautiful photos, beautiful post. I really needed this this evening; it has been a loooong, strange week already and I’m feeling pretty stabby. Thanks for the beauty break.
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Everybody needs a beauty break now and then ;)
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