trees

i love trees. i mean i really really love trees.

when i was a kid, i had a willow tree that was
my safe spot. each branch was a different room
to me. i loved that place, and hung out there
a lot. used to do homework in it. used to just
sit and think in it. one day i came home and
it was gone.

wow. just gone.
my parents had cut it down and never even told
me they were gonna do it.

that still takes my breath away.

my ex-husband loved trees too. he planted way too
many in our yard and he'd go around and touch
every single one of them in the evenings and see
how they were doin'. i loved that about him.

way before we were married he told me that one of
his professors said that if you were really really
good, you could figure out the type of tree by
the sound the breeze made thru its leaves.

wow. i have never forgotten that. and of course,
have never even tried as i can't tell trees apart
by looking at them!!! but that always amazed me.

walkin' today i was just taken with the trees.
i thought about how much they've seen me thru over
the years. how much i've given them to hold for me,
and how much they've helped me.

as i'm lost in appreciation, in steps the worldly,
practical ter. yeah, there really is one of those.
and she steps up with scorn, looks down her nose
and says to the tree huggin' ter 'don't be so silly.
next you'll be sayin' that the trees can love you.'

tree huggin' ter isn't flustered in the least. she
calmly stares at worldly practical ter and says
'trees ARE love.'

practical ter goes away.

tree huggin' ter goes back to lookin' at the trees.

just then a breeze blows thru the leaves....
and i smiled....

next i'll be thinkin' they're talkin' to me.......

yeah.
maybe so.
just maybe so.