a tree in the forest

[Ricki]

I observed a weird thing hiking camping this past two days i was on my way back on a trail and stopped to rest i was sitting on this fallen tree, the woods are very noisy with fall weather here, high winds, changing weather and i heard this awful creeking wretching sound it startled me a bit and looked down into the woods from this hill i was on and noticed a large tree either dead or falled somehow was all humped down basically on this smaller very much alive tree but the little tree was like 1/10 the big trees size!  I stared at it and then thought?
WOW!  This is how i feel somedays more often than not?  that a big dead thing is basically imposing itself on me and the best i can do is creek and beltch from its wieight bearing down on me?  will that poor little tree be there again when i hike through will it be strong enough to handle the dead weight of the larger tre?  will it grow properly or will it fall, break, or die due to the big tree laying accross it?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
This is what i thought and pondered this afternoon in an overcast sky with small drops of rain and wind gusting every which way....
I wondered about me and the tree and my life, have i lost my way or just not found it yet? i do not know but I sort of smiled at the little tree and even said out loud i know exactly how you feel little buddy! 
Sorry just some out door rambling funny how nature is close to verything or mimics things?
Ricki!

[cindianna_jones]

What an interesting little essay Ricki.  I love your description of the event.  I too have seen this many times.  I always thought of the dead tree rather than the one upon which it rested.

My analogy was this..... look at that tree that lets the others hold it up... as I watch the years go by, it's leaves die, then it's branches and it too dies.  So too are we like that tree that falls.  If we let others around us hold us up instead of standinb back up on our own.  Something in us too dies.

Cindi

[Ricki]

I'm posting back to this just to put closure on it and to add a comment an outside friend made, he said well do you own a chainsaw maybe the next time you wonder off hiking visit that tree and cut the burden off of its back?  hmmm very interesting i thought then... i thought looking through the trees and forest as much as i do i could spend a lifetime going into the woods relieving small trees of the burdens of the larger dead ones laying or leaning on them, but if the forest is alive and groeing all the time would i ever make a difference?
I think people feel this way to a lot of times that their lone actions are so minimal in the scope of the world that they do not always bother because they do not believe it will change anything large?....

[Mario]

Ricki,
   Only the strong survive. But me? Yeah, I would take the chain saw out there. Big bad dead tree! Let the little one have a chance to grow big

                                          Marco

[Ricki]

Marco i honestly consider this idea but i do not have a chainsaw?  I used to have a small electric one for ice carving but it broke down years ago! Bummer and i do not think a little hand saw will chop this huge tree up?
Ah well.....Maybe the tree like some of us is stronger than what it looks by appearance! ancient chinese proverb:
Man is not judged by the the length of his cord rather by the thickness of his strand is that really mean not by the length of the life he's lived but by the quality in which he lived it?  is that a metaphor? Dang i got a good one huh!
weheeeeeeeeeee

[Laurry]

While we are all emapthetic towards the smaller tree, it is the nature of life that we all have heavy burdens.  I believe we are put here on this earth to help others bear those burdens.  Sometimes by helping remove them, sometimes carrying them and sometimes by encouragement.  A life without burdens would be weak and have shallow roots.  By bearing these loads, we grow stronger and build deeper and wider roots.

Philosophy aside, I may try to push the larger tree off the smaller one, but don't believe I would take a chainsaw on a hike in the woods.  Walking the the forest is my quiet time where I commune with God and seek peace.  Somehow, chainsaws and peace (not to mention quiet) don't really go together in my book.

......Laurie

[Ricki]

Laurie Sweetie we have more in common than you think.. I love the forest aside from the camping and long backpacking treks, shorter trips are exactly where i commune with god, my guardian angels, and stuff and think!
WOW!
Your thoughts on the trees are true as well maybe sometimes we tinker around with things in the world too much and undo things that should be?

[Elizabeth]

Ricki,

Does the little tree surrender under the burden of the larger tree? Does it pull up its own roots and die, because the weight of the larger tree is bearing down on it? Or does it turn it's leaves toward the sunlight, redirect itself, extend its roots a little deeper, accept its burden and use all it's resources to survive?

Love always,
Elizabeth

[Laurry]

Does the little tree surrender under the burden of the larger tree? Does it pull up its own roots and die, because the weight of the larger tree is bearing down on it? Or does it turn it's leaves toward the sunlight, redirect itself, extend its roots a little deeper, accept its burden and use all it's resources to survive?

Dang good question Elizabeth.  Guess it all depends on the inner strength of the little tree, and the soil in which it was rasied.  If the soil is nurturing and tender, then the little tree's roots grow deep and strong, thus strengthening the tree.  If the soil is harsh, rocky and shallow, then the poor little tree may not make it without help.  It also depends on the storms the little tree has weathered.  When the hard winds blow and the lightning strikes, it can be scary and the tree may even be hurt, but the little tree knows that surviving the storms makes it stronger and the roots deeper so that it may weather future storms.

So, when you see a little tree, struggling under the weight of an enormous burden, bring a little light to the darkness and spread a healthy serving of Miracle Grow

Thanks for the thoughtful question Elizabeth...maybe next time, I can add a little alliteration to the allegory 

Hugs......Laurie

[Chaunte]

I observed a weird thing hiking camping this past two days i was on my way back on a trail and stopped to rest i was sitting on this fallen tree, the woods are very noisy with fall weather here, high winds, changing weather and i heard this awful creeking wretching sound it startled me a bit and looked down into the woods from this hill i was on and noticed a large tree either dead or falled somehow was all humped down basically on this smaller very much alive tree but the little tree was like 1/10 the big trees size!  I stared at it and then thought?
WOW!  This is how i feel somedays more often than not?  that a big dead thing is basically imposing itself on me and the best i can do is creek and beltch from its wieight bearing down on me?  will that poor little tree be there again when i hike through will it be strong enough to handle the dead weight of the larger tre?  will it grow properly or will it fall, break, or die due to the big tree laying accross it?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
This is what i thought and pondered this afternoon in an overcast sky with small drops of rain and wind gusting every which way....
I wondered about me and the tree and my life, have i lost my way or just not found it yet? i do not know but I sort of smiled at the little tree and even said out loud i know exactly how you feel little buddy! 
Sorry just some out door rambling funny how nature is close to verything or mimics things?
Ricki!

Ricki,

It depends on how much the tree wants to survive.

Will that little tree still be there when next you stumble upon it?  No.  It will have grown and adapted to the overbearing weight of the dead tree resting upon it.  Saplings are much more flexible and adaptable than fully grown trees - and the analogy to people is obvious.

Chaunte

[Ricki]

your wisdom is right on!
So true thanks for replying! I've witnessed the opposite just this morning a large healthy tree thrust down in its prime knocking down a dead one! Cool role reversal i'd say!   Promise i will not be posting a zillion tree updates, hehe!
Thanks
R