“A tree can be only as strong as the forest that surrounds it.”...Peter Wohlleben
You know me, I love trees, love to wander in the forest and immerse myself in the sights, smells, and sounds. There is such grounding by looking up at the tree canopy, the crunching of the leaves and pine needles beneath my feet, the sound of the trees swaying with the wind and the smell of the forest. Little did I think about how nature’s wisdom intertwines with our human connections.
You see, trees communicate with each other. Research shows that there are many hidden pathways, a sophisticated and interconnected social network shall you say, that allows trees to communicate and to actively support each other. Trees share carbon, nitrogen, water, defense signals, phosphorous, and allele chemicals through an extensive fungal network. As an example, when one tree is in need of carbon, a carbon rich tree sends carbon over chemical and hormonal signals through the network to the tree in need. They nurture each other through a mutually beneficial relationship. These pathways allow the forest to behave as if its’ one single organism.
This brings me back to our human connections. Last Monday I started chemotherapy again. Sunday night and Monday should have been a sleepless time fraught with anxiety and fear. But it wasn’t, I felt a sense of calm and composure. Where the heck did that come from? Well, it came from my own sophisticated and interconnected social network – YOU!
As the trees received support from their network, I received support through mine. I pondered this quite a while – an almost magical feeling of love and support coming through the prayers and positive thoughts from so many people. And mostly from long-distance. I can’t really put a word to it – because it is so much more than words, a sense, a feeling, a spiritual experience to feel so loved and so connected to others.
Just as we cannot fully understand the connectedness of the trees, how can we even suggest to understand the power of prayers offered for someone, or the positive thought that goes out into the universe on their behalf. We are all part of a community – not a lone tree, and we can only be strong by staying connected and seeking the best for each other. Listen in your heart to the little whispers – when someone pops into your head out of the blue. Maybe like the trees, they are sending out signals for support. You just need to be quiet long enough to hear them.
Please take the time to encourage each other, to nourish your relationships, and to pray. Whatever faith you embrace, prayer is powerful and magical.
We are all one community, just like the trees and will grow strong as we support and nurture each other.
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