„A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;
a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.“ Proverbs 11,28
Last year my oldest daughter wrote her dissertation about trees.
More precisely about the communication among trees.
That´s the reason why I also learned a lot about trees, while reading interesting books and listening to youtube talks.
It´s fascinating! Scientific research is only in its beginning here and there is so much, we don´t know or understand.
The soil alone is a whole undiscovered universe on its own!
How the fungi connect everything, so that every tree can exchange information with all the other trees!
(That´s why the fungi are called the "woodwideweb" 😉)
Scientists learned that trees are not – like thought until now – in competition with each other (for example for light and place),
but that they actually are helping and caring for each other!
The young plants that can´t do that much photosynthesis, because there is simply not that much light coming down to the lower levels of the forest, are fed with sugar by the big trees (you could even say the are nursed!);
And also the old trees (sometimes even cut stomps that normally must die) are fed and cared for.
Either because trees are social, or because the knowledge and experiences of the old generation is important for the society of the forest,
or both.
It is reported that scientists could proof that plants do have an individual memory, and not only art specific reflexes.
Unbelievable!
The trees of the wood are personalities, not only biomass!
When I take a walk into the woods now, I meet trees in a whole new way…
How did God create all that? Are trees able to think? What surprises are yet to be found out?
In the Bible there are quite some trees with an important role, too:
The tree of knowledge, the tree of life. And even the fig tree, Jesus curses.
In the Narnia story there are trees helping fight a bad king.
For us trees seem to be still and quite immobile. They get older than we do. They seem patient and strong.
But who knows, how they really are?
The Bible refers to our life being like a tree several times:
“Instead you thrill to God´s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.
You are a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.” Psalm 1
Fall is such a beautiful season. I always like being in the woods, but now it is especially nice and colorful.
The yellow leaves are glowing, even when there is no sunshine.
There is so much to explore and to be thankful for!
Nature is always up to date.
The seasons are changing and everything gets renewed year after year, without any help from our side.
Human design gets out of fashion, items get kaput, houses break down.
But God´s creation is always beautiful and beneficial!
No one has to remove the leaves off the ground or get rid of unnecessary stuff.
A wood is beautiful just like it is.
Being in the woods has a verifiable positive effect on our physical and emotional health.
The colors, the scents, the sounds…, the chemical messengers we take in, that strengthen our immune system…
And who knows what else the trees are whispering and giving to us!
Nature is a huge gift of God for sure!
And especially in times like these, where we don´t know what the future brings
and we are going into a second lockdown... I am glad of being able to enjoy the woods!
Thankful for everything God creates and provides.
Thankful that He created things and knows things, I have no idea about.
Thankful for eternity.
And that there are small and big worlds I can´t even imagine.
We´ve been in "Waldviertel" (a region of Austria called "wood quarter") with my Mom
and went into the woods to search some mushrooms. But we also found a wild apple tree out there!