A Paper Cut – A tree’s LAST revenge!

“Nothing but trees.” Robert Liparulo

Credits:Alfred Borchard

I have grown up in a house, whose backyard had alot of trees.My childhood memories are adorned by them.There was an apricot tree,guava tree, and many other whose names i didn’t knew by then.The most fond memories are of a tree which supported my swing – a blackberry tree!I used to enjoy that swing on hot summer days when everyone was asleep.The quite and peaceful time of the late afternoon, when almost everyone was indoors, i was out on my swing, rocking me to and fro.The branches and leaves of that tree used to provide me shade,and i could pick the blackberries and eat them whist i enjoyed myself hehehe…..those were the best times of my life!

“Trees are corrupting our parks. They should be arrested for loitering. For deciduous trees, add littering and indecent exposure to that list of offenses.”       Benson Bruno

Cover of The Magic Faraway Tree (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Later in my childhood, trees inspired me when i started reading Enid Blyton and her Faraway Tree Series:The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree….Those who haven’t read these wonderful imagination igniting fantasy books should give it a go andintroduce them to thier children to develop good imagination in them.It was about a magical wood called ‘The Enchanted Wood’, which had a magical tree called ‘The Faraway Tree’, whose top went right throught the clouds, and every few days a new land appeared on top, sometimes enjoyable, other times scary and silly too.The story involved three siblings:Jo, Bessie and Fanny, who Faraway Tree.These included Moonface(His face was as big and shiny as the moon), Silky (A sweet preety Fairy with Wings) Saucepanman (A man who hangs pots, pans and saucepans on him which clitter clatter and he’s half deaf too) and a few more.Now imagine that!What a plot to keep you imagining and dreaming, it is so very intriguing.For years i used to look for a tree whose top went through the clouds – but in vain.So i developed a love and concern for trees since childhood.

Credits:Jasper Greek Lao Golangco

“A carpenter took those green things blocking my horizon and gave me a balcony to view my sunset from. It’s so breathtaking, I can’t inhale.”             Benson Bruno

So – i can declare me a tree hugger.I always think It’s a word which is openly and officially proportionate to sarcasm, which riddicules those who are on meanigful and purposeful endeavours, and created by those who consider trees no more than mere paper, or a piece of furniture, or a monument which endures hearts carved with initials.

“We need to save the forests. I have a big warehouse we can store them in.” Benson Bruno

Within life on earth, trees are a life system of their own.They protect biodiversity, there are many trees which are centuries old,and our indifference doesn’t even give it a second thought before we chop down history they keep.I often gather so many lessons from trees which no other source has ever provided me:

*Trees are deeply rooted in the ground,which revives my pledge to stay connected strongly with the roots of my human aspects, my homeland, my culture, my identity and my family while absorbing other cultures and influences which share goodwill

Credits:Michal Zacharzewski

and goodness as well. A tree can only survive in the soil it’s rooted in, if we uproot it and plant it elsewhere, the chances of its survival are very less.

*Trees keep the soil stable and fertilize it too, i acquire the understanding that people depend on me, and therefore i need to knit close with them, helping them whenever i can, nurturing their thoughts and boosting their morals whenever i can.

* Just like a tree cools down the surrounding air in the atmosphere, i am taught to control my anger, and calm down the people around me, we need more tolerance.

Credits:John Nyberg

*A tree bears the scorching heat and provides those who sit beneath it with cool shade, it teaches me self-sacrifice, how i can bear, and help those who can’t.

*Trees are the oxygen masks of life, i am reminded to make it easier for others to live life, with the vital signs of life – live and let live.I should not take away other’s oppourtunities to live, and all the essentials of life.I should not make life difficult for others, instead i should create conveniences.

*Trees and plants purify the atmosphere, it motivates me to cleanse my inner self, emerge as purer, genuine and much clearer than before, spreading purity all around.

Credits:Marja Flick-Buijs

*Trees sway in the wind, with joy, I learn to rejoice and enjoy life, create happiness in my life and in others too.

*When new leaves, buds grow on trees, i am trained to rejuvinate, to let go of the defected parts within, and transform into a better and newer me.

*When trees bear fruit, i acquire the art of hard work and patience, and it reiterates that we will reap the fruit one day, if we work hard.

*When dry pale leaves crunch under my feet, i develop an ear for music, i am taught the language of nature, a love for colors, and i remember that there is always an end, death, and that each and everything

Credits:Ervin Bacik

in this universe is mortal, except the creator.

“There is always music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.” Minnie Aumonier

*When flowers bloom on trees, spreading their fragrance,color and beauty, i acquire gratitude,that the world is full of things we should appreciate and be thankful for.

*During violent storms, i see trees moving with the currents, their branches swinging swiftly to and fro.I am reminded to remain flexible always,especially during hard times,so that we don’t break, and can stand up straight during the good times with pride.

Credits:Kevin Tuck

*I see trees sharing them with birds,many perch on them and make their nests.Squirrels eat acorns, monkeys swing on its branches,birds stop by to enjoy it’s shade, kids swing on swings hung on their thick branches – They advice me to share my life and God’s blessings with one and all.

*When ever it gets gloomy within and around, a look at them declares that inspite of all the sorrows in the world,life still persists and grows, gives me the will to carry on.

*A cut bough, a withered dead dying succumbed tree, unforunately reminds me how brutal, selfish, wasteful, ungrateful, incompassionate mankind is, we take away the oppourtunity to live from other living things,just to adorn our lives with luxury.

*A burning tree burns along a part of life too.It sadly narrates that somethings in life are irreversible, just like when a tree burns, it can never be restored.

Credits:tinneketin

“When trees burn, they leave the smell of heartbreak in the air.” Jodi Thomas

On Earth Day i have to confess that in my life till now, i have never planted a tree.I am almost always resentful, that the earth is a victim of our neglect and disregard, i have beeen trying to work out ways how i can be useful for it’s survival, it’s shameful for me that i am after all one of them too, not playing my part the way i should.Planting a tree is a task i could have easily undertaken.But now, i have decided not to miss this oppourtunity to give something to this world and the life that exists on it, which can provide long-term benefits.

“The planting of a tree, especially one of the long-living hardwood trees, is a gift which you can make to posterity at almost no cost and with almost no trouble, and if the tree takes root it will far outlive the visible effect of any of your other actions, good or evil.”       George Orwell

Trees are going extinct.I don’t want to tell my kids stories about what they were and how they looked like after a few years.We have already commited enough insanity towards God’ blessings, ruining them, not realizing that everything in this world is interconnected,and ultimately our lives will be effected.

Credits:Miguel Saavedra

“He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, he provideth a kindness for many generations, and faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.” Henry Van Dyke

What exactly can be done.Let’s take a look:

*All of us – with me being on top of the list, need to plant trees.There are areas each country’s Minsitry of forestry declares as ‘planting zones’.Many nurseries and green houses provide seedlings.It’s better to seek help from local tree planters, or people who take part in annual tree planting campaigns.

*We can raise awareness and voices for all those planted patches which are

Credits:Aschwin Prein

sacrificed for bulding skyscrapers or parks or any public buildings.

*Better start using re-usable bags instead of paper ones.

*Many companies are making ‘tree-free paper’ products.Also recycled paper is a good option.Using word editors in cellphones computers and laptops is also a good way to stop de-forestation and paper waste.Offices can rely more on online databases instead of paper files and folders.

*Determining,and taking concrete steps to control and stop forest fires.

*Instead of burning wood, there is a great need to find other alternative fuels, which are cheap, as well as available remotely.

There is an extremely relevant Aesop’s Fable you all must have read.A man came into a wood one day with an axe in his hand and begged all the trees to give him a small branch.The trees were good-natured and gave him one of their branches.What did the man do but fix it into the axe head, and soon set to work cutting down tree after tree.Then the trees saw how foolish they had been in giving their enemy the means of destroying themselves.

“It is unclear how much longer people will write on dried and flattened wood. Trees do so much for humans and for our planet that it hardly seems fair to ask them to carry our thoughts as well”.           Michael Yarus