I’ve been on this Earth for a very, very long time. I can’t tell you exactly how long I’ve been here; we of my kind do not count the number of revolutions the Earth makes around the sun as you humans do. We simply live too long to keep count and, frankly, to care.
It matters not to us how long we live as it matters to you. We are rooted in one spot for our entire lives, and so we take each day as the sun rises. That’s not to say we don’t enjoy life, for we do.
Unlike you animals, we trees can find happiness even when most of our being remains still.
We find joy in life through the way Mother Nature rustles our leaves with the caress of her wind. We find joy in life through the way Mother Nature blesses us with the relief of her rain. We find joy in life through the way Mother Nature freely pours onto us the strength of her nutrients through the soil we breathe.
We find joy through our savior herself. In fact, I might say that we aren’t that different from you humans, in that aspect.
I’ve been around long enough to have overheard conversations regarding, and this is what I believe it is called, ‘Religion’. Where you humans worship a higher being called God, or was it Buddha? Allah? I don’t know, humans seem to have many names for the higher being you seem to worship.
Is it all the same? Or is there a difference between all of them?
Either way, you humans worship these beings like how we worship our Mother. We thank her for our blessings as you thank yours, and we thank her for her vigilance that keeps us alive.
Of course, I’ve heard of the ‘free-thinkers’ or ‘atheists’ as they call themselves, of your race. Don’t worry, there are some of us that too do not believe. Weeds, wildflowers, and even cut-flowers that were once so pious but could not stay faithful after our Mother did not save them from your species’ hands.
But it’s okay. We have learned to accept them as one of us, and I’m sure that you humans do the same.
I must sound terribly boring, and for that, you must forgive me. One’s social abilities dry out like fish out of the water when too long a time has passed.
It’s not that we plants cannot talk to each other; of course, we can. Underneath the soil you walk lies a network of our roots, meeting and exchanging greetings and eventually, conversations. We are all very, very old friends with each other, and know each other deeply. We share stories of the humans we have watched and about the birds that have nested in our branches.
But recently I’ve not had many friends to talk to. My roots still tangle with some, and no longer with others. And even with those whose roots I can still feel, I hear no sound from them. I do not even feel life through their touch.
I know not what has happened. The last I remember, I heard their screams; cries of anguish that haunt me even to this day.
I’ve heard from passing birds that my friends have died at humans’ hands.
I do not wish to believe that.
For I’ve been on this Earth a very, very long time. I’ve been here when you humans were using those four-legged creatures to bring you around everywhere.
And never have I lost so many friends at once. Of course, death is inevitable for us. And we understand that you all need what only we can supply to survive.
But surely you couldn’t have wiped out all of my precious old friends all at once. I had so many.
Surely you don’t need that many of us.
I apologize, talking about them has gotten me tired and weary. I shall get some rest now and think about happier times to come; I heard that humans are going to come to this area soon. I do not know for what, but I can’t wait.
I heard that there will be many of them and that they are bringing some machines along. I hope they are going to build houses next to all of us; that way maybe life would be more stimulating for me.
I can’t wait for them to come. And I can’t wait to have stories to share to the wind again, where the souls of my friends are said to exist.
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Originally published on Terri’s Thoughts
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