Tree Options

I am fortunate to work on a campus that affords me the opportunity to sit outdoors in park setting during lunch. Today I was beneath a spreading apple tree, seated in a lawn chair that I keep in the trunk of my car.

A cooling breeze was blowing across an expanse of freshly mowed lawn, rustling the leaves of the tree above me. I was taken back to childhood memories when a tree presented endless possibilities.

The towering gum tree behind the house I grew up in sometimes served as the mast of a sailing ship. Three branches that shot out next to one another some thirty feet above the ground formed a crow's nest. In the winds of an approaching thunderstorm, the tree rocked much as a main mast might sway in open water.

In a field near our home was an ancient willow tree that was frequently put into action as an army command post. The branches were wide enough to accomodate crudely sketched maps and battle plans.

Then of course there was the maple tree that leaned across the stream in a nearby park. A couple lengths of heavy rope and a weathered board turned the tree into a swing. Sometimes a swing and nothing more - sometimes a launching platform for ungainly splashes into the stream below.

All of these memories flashed through my mind in seconds - and reminded me of the importance of taking the time to explore the many options presented by the world around us.