As I’m nearing the end of this week of not feeling quite like myself, I am thankful for the time I spent with the trees–during one long walk on a path I hadn’t taken in years and in brief moments while running errands.
The photo above was from one of my shorter walks. As I walked, I looked up to behold the beautiful black walnut tree with its gorgeous branch extended over the path–an invitation to loveliness and light.
Being “among the trees” is therapy at its best. “They save me…daily.”
“When I Am Among the Trees”
Mary Oliver
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.”
I am joining Parul Thakur for #ThursdayTreeLove every second and fourth Thursday of the month. If you would like to play along, post a picture of a tree on your blog and link it back to her latest #treelove post.
Pics and Posts 
Am I imagining things, or is that tree reaching out to you?
Lovely.
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I like that! We’ll say, nope! You’re not imagining it! 🙃
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The photo blew me away Chandra. 🙂 That light, the powerful trunk. What a delight. And then to read those words. A treasure. Thank you, Chandra. Grateful for the trees, that they save you. Hugs and prayers sent your way. 🙂
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Thank you!!! I had other plans for tree love, but this branch is just so powerful!
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Praying you feel better as the day unfolds. Have a blessed weekend! 🙂
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Stunning photo; it puts me at peace instantly.
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My favorite tree is over our pool right now. At one time one of the owners before we bought this house was going to cut it down for us and my daughter ran up to it and said no one was going to chop down that tree, it was her tree. She was so little, it was cute. Now when ever I swim under it I look through it’s leaves and think what a beautiful tree my little girl saved. She is 22 now.
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Hope you are feeling better now Chandra. Beautiful photo.
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Better. Thanks!
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What a beautiful shot and that poem is lovely. Hope you are better. Recently, I was in a hospital for a loved one and waiting outside under a tree. In that moment, the tree was my place of forgetting all the pain around me. I clicked and I will share those pictures soon.
Thanks for joining, Chandra!
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I hope your loved one is okay. I am feeling better. A bit overwhelmed, but okay.
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What a delight, that photo. The poem, too.
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Thank you for the compliment and for appreciating Mary Oliver’s poem.
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Therapy at it’s best. I agree! Living trees are good medicine for the body, mind, and spirit. Thank you for the beautiful and powerful poem!
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Yes, yes, and yes!!! Thanks for reading and enjoying…
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