A Monument To Life

Friends, this is a tree! One tree, not several trees. It is a living, breathing, life-giving part of creation and it is remarkable. When I see a tree like this, and I don’t often, I let my imagination kick into gear. I have no idea how old this tree is, but you can bet it has seen lots of history go by. Maybe hundreds of years ago someone sat right there under the tree and pondered the stars or the great waters. Might have been your ancestor or mine. Think of the history this tree has witnessed over the centuries. I also wonder how many hurrying people have driven by the tree, noticed it but didn’t really see it, and felt no emotional tug at their souls. Lots, I imagine.

A few decades ago, people concerned about ecology and the treatment of the planet, were called “tree huggers,” remember that? Well, try giving this one a big hug. We should try, because this tree and millions of others have contributed a lot to keeping our planet-home alive, and us with it. Each time I drive by this particular tree here in Oregon, I wave and say hello, and “thank you” for standing strong through storms, tsunamis, and the arrogance of human beings who believe that the purpose of a tree is to be cut down and turned into a street address in Chicago. God dreamed creation into being, fashioned it, breathed life into it, and gave it to us to take care of. And that includes this ancient monument that lives and breathes like we do. We are to be stewards of creation, and it’s time we held up our end of the agreement.