I am sitting in a hotel room listening to the President of the United States talking about the economy, the recession and rebuilding America to a strength greater than before.
I came to this place in order to participate in a meeting on Wednesday that has nothing to do with the economy and then I will return home.
My trip here was via rail transportation. I used to drive to this meeting, but today I chose to come by rail. It was an expansive experience and I will do it again.
At the train station I stood in a group of commuters looking at a big-lighted board giving train destinations and track numbers. Not quite knowing what to do I asked a stranger standing next to me where do I get a ticket. He offered a couple of options and volunteered to take me to the ticket vending machine and helped input all the data needed.
Bravo stranger, even though I know not your name, your service to me was a reminder of what all of us must do to help known and unknown neighbors and strangers, not only when asked, but when not asked. All need is spiritually intuitive by those who feel its necessity.
The environment was a predominant observation on my rail sojourn. The window was my seatmate. I saw trees in winter storage, growing in the most inhospitable places between track and fence, between rail and stone, between cement and junk. Amazing.
The lesson of the trees is the same as the stranger who helped beyond the asking. Without their leaves, appearing when spring arrives, we humans would have a little less life to breath.
These trees set an example of service to all humans. They stand not in a place to display their leafy glory. They are tucked behind buildings and sheds and few people ever see them even though they look at them.
In their growth and growing place they are deformed by the proximity to man’s fences, walls, and concrete surfaces, yet they stand to serve in the simplicity of a symbiotic relationship. Our CO2 for their O2. What a gift of life.
President Obama is now finished with his address to Congress. I liked what he said. I don’t speak for the trees, but I’ll bet they too liked what they heard.
They listen more than you think.
1 comment:
I love your thoughts. Do we think the trees really care about the economy? The greatness of America? I do think they're listening. They hear the important things we have lost our natural instinct to detect. How is Mother Earth? What does the wind say? They have a wisdom beyond us, and plenty to tell us, if only we would stop and listen. Pretty sure they tune out Obama. But, I watched. He's a wonder, too. Bless him and the trees. Happy travels. Face forward. It's a beautiful view. S
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