It’s a rainy day. Looking for a little shelter, I sit down underneath a Douglas-fir tree. Its bark is a cascade of craggy steps and cliffs. It is reminiscent of a molten past that is now cooled and solidified.
Droplets are softly falling as the rain slowly filters through the dense tree canopy. The base of the tree flares out slightly and catches the moisture. As the water flows down this gentle slope, an abundance of life is growing. Magical creatures are forming a miniature seascape that is a mosaic of shapes, colors, and textures.
Captivated by these beautiful lifeforms, I realize that it is impossible to comprehend the complexity of life woven into and around the life of a Douglas-fir tree. Its lifecycle can span more than a millennium. It can live to be from 500 to 1000 years old, and it can then take another 400 years for it to decompose. May we someday once again set aside space for these fellow beings to fulfill their lives and create majestic, hallowed forests.
