“When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
– Mary Oliver, When I Am Among the Trees
In a Tara Brach podcast she told the story about a woman who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and had one year to live. The woman said, “I have no time to rush.” When I heard this I thought of the Mary Oliver line…”never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often.”
During my visit in the Northwest, I stayed a while among the trees.
I walked slowly.
I watched the light flow from their branches.
I spoke to the trees that have gifted me with their beauty, their strength and their wisdom.
Because I listen to trees I’ve learned how to bend in the wind, I’ve learned how to let my roots grow deeply wherever I stand, I’ve learned how to reach higher towards the stars and the sun.
I said to the trees, “Sometimes I get scared. Sometimes I wish I didn’t want so much out of this life. Sometimes I wish this was enough.”
And the rustling trees said back to me, “You must take your longing out into the world to learn how to shine. You must find the home within yourself, and invite others in. You must plant the seeds of happiness wherever you go, water them and they will become the strong, but flexible, branches that cradle your heart. Take the detritus of your life and let it grow into something else, like trees do. Then, and only then, you’ll hear the birdsong of your life and blossom.”
