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Listen to the Trees | Part I | Pay Attention

 Perhaps before we are ready to take to the skies, we need to sink into our Roots. 


Consider the life of trees. 

Aside from the axe, what trees acquire from man is inconsiderable. 

What man may acquire from trees is immeasurable.

From their mute forms there flows a poise, in silence,

a lovely sound and motion in response to wind.

What peace comes to those aware of the voice and bearing of trees! 

Trees do not scream for attention.

A tree, a rock, has no pretense, only a real growth out of itself,

in close communion with the universal spirit.

A tree retains a deep serenity.

It establishes in the earth not only its root system but also

those roots of its beauty and its unknown consciousness.

Sometimes one may sense a glisten of that consciousness, and with

such perspective, feel that man is not necessarily the highest form of life.

Cedric Wright

There are two black and white photographs hanging in our Spare Oom, taken by a very dear friend of mine. A few years ago, he introduced me to the work of his photography muse, John Sexton. Sexton's work was published in a beautiful book called Listen to the Trees, a complication of original photographs and journal entries are artfully laid out between branches of essays and poems, pointing us to Truths he discovered behind his camera lens.

For those of us without a camera lens, Stewart Udall encourages us in an opening essay to listen through three alternative lenses: Awareness, Grace, and Gratitude.

Becoming Aware of Trees starts with Paying Attention. All around us, our Creator is trying to Communicate something to us. He loves us so much. Beloved, Pay Attention. What is He trying to tell you?  

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