Branches
I took this photo last year when I visited Washington DC. I love the Washington Memorial, my daughter and I visited it often when she was young and we lived in Alexandria, VA.
But this moment… well, I can’t tell you why the tree had bent close to the ground. Was it a storm? Had it been cut down and still propped up by its branches? It’s said the size of a tree’s roots can go as deep in the ground as the tree is high. I like to think this tree’s strength wasn’t over.
I think of George Washington’s words that have always spoken to me about one of the branches of inner strength: "Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.”
Please help spread the word…
Trees are amazing. You probably didn’t know that tree roots do not typically reach deep. That’s a long held misunderstanding. But, what’s counter-intuitive and even more amazing, they often branch out horizontally 2-3 times their height in the top several feet of nourishing soil. They may even wrap around or comingle/fuse with root systems of nearby trees. As a licensed “tree expert” by a challenging exam in Illinois, 50+ years ago, by the Department of Registration and Education, trust me on this. At the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum in Superior, AZ, where I’m humbled to be an emeritus board member, they typically let trees lie where they drop (except when blocking paths or drainage flows). Often, they continue to “labor”, adapt and grow in their new form for many decades. A good lesson for all of us to carry on. GW would be proud.
Let our deep rooted essence be intertwined in the fertile soil of conscience and fierce love - and if so. we will make it through any storm. ❤️ Kally