Happy Valentine’s Day!
Last week, the 100+ year old maple tree in front of my yoga studio was cut down and removed. The tree was healthy, perhaps too healthy for its own good. Its ever growing roots had lifted the sidewalk. I witnessed a young man trip and fall on the lifted-by-roots uneven pavement. I rushed to him to see if he was alright. Apparently, the only injury was to his ego. He brusquely told me, “I’m fine!” and I watched him hobble off to smoother terrain.
The worst of the tree was that it cracked the foundation of the building where I rent my studio space. Torrential rains and the cracked foundation made for the terrible flood in my studio in December 2023.
The tree was just outside my studio. Now that it is gone, light is flooding my sweet studio space. The light is beautiful, but I’m still sad to see the tree gone. I love trees and I loved that tree! I take solace in knowing that the city, come spring, will replant another tree. Hopefully, one that will not grow so vigorously.
Below is a combination of two photos I took and played with, creating one photo from two. Two yogis hugging the now-gone 100+ year old maple tree (If you get this blog post in your inbox and can’t see the photos, click on my website www.frangallo.com and you’ll be able to access the blog post with photos):
Last week, every class dedication was in honor of trees. Below is one of my favorite poems, written by the Polish philosopher Henryk Skolimowski, author of EcoYoga. EcoYoga is one of my most cherished first yoga books. The photo below is of Henryk hugging a tree. Enjoy the poem:
When holding a tree,
I am simply entranced.
I return to the protoform of my being,
My cells are renewed,
My energy recharged.
My tree – my sister, my love, my lungs.
People think me crazy holding a tree.
Deep down they envy me.
I am so rooted kissing the bark.
They are so alienated avoiding it.
When I am one with a tree
The great energy of the Cosmos
Pulsates through me.
What a delight!
Life… ALL come and go leaving their footprints in the sands which will be washed away with time. Life is but THIS MOMENT. Tell this new tree your secrets and love on it as if it were its last hour, and it will befriend you forever… just as this last beautiful tree did. (But it sure IS a sad moment loosing the splendor of that magnificent old timer, and I’m sorry for EVERYONE’s loss.)
Thank you for your kind words! We mourn the loss of the granddaddy of maples and will welcome the new tree that will be planted in the spring! -Fran
When we were in the car heading to my house for a play date a few weeks ago, my sweet 4 year old grandson remarked: “Nana, we’re learning about Martin Luther King, Jr.”. We chatted a bit about what he had learned. As we approached my house and he saw some tall fir trees on the side of the road, he said: “You know, Nana, those trees remind me of Martin Luther King, Jr.” I said: “Why is that, Cooper?”
He said: “Because they have brown skin too, Nana!” I will never look at a tree again in the same way 😊.
Happy Valentine’s Day you little tree hugger, you. 😉
Hope all is well, Jeff
Awesome post, Fran. So sorry you lost your beautiful tree. Thank goodness a new one will be planted in its place.
Bev