The silent watchmen of our lives

If there is one smell I will never forget, it is the smell of a eucalyptus tree.

It was among these trees that we played hide-and-seek. It was under the shade of one of these trees where my grandpa would take his afternoon rest, and it was from the leaves of these trees that my grandmother would boil some leaves for us to inhale when we had the slightest of coughs.

Yes, there is so much more to trees than shade and beauty.

Many of us have personal memories tied to trees. I have already mentioned mine to you. What can yours be? The treehouse your dad built for you and your siblings, those initials that you carved together with the “love of your life,” or can it be for the branches that kept you safe when things got too much?
Trees, they are the living monuments of our lives. The silent watchmen that will keep our secrets, challenges, milestones, and those changes in our lives.

My mom loves trees. I can remember how she would always tell us stories about the three children. I can remember so clearly when she told us to look out the windows of the car at the trees instead of fighting where we were sitting in the back seat. Not that it really helped me, as I was always sitting on the right side of the car, behind my dad. Instead of watching the trees on the other side of the road, I would be daydreaming or counting the cars passing by.

My mom is no longer the woman she used to be. She now has Alzheimer's.
Not long ago, she and my sister came to visit me. When I took her for a drive around town, her very first words were, “Kyk net die mooi bome.” She saw the beauty of the trees and reminded us. I just looked at my sister in my rearview mirror, and we both silently shed a tear. It was clear evidence that trees offer a moment of stillness and connection.

For us, it was evidence that Mom would be okay. She might live in her world, but we are certain that it is full of trees. It was also a reminder of the importance of taking time to breathe and appreciate the world around us.

When I saw this contest, I went in search of a photo of trees I took some time ago and found them amongst the 1,046 photos of trees I have on my phone.

Many moons ago, I would travel 120 kilometers to visit my eldest grandchild for the day. Now that is 120 kilometers there and 120 all the way back home. My mom often traveled with me, as she did not like me traveling on my own.

Saturday, February 4, 2017, was one of those visiting days. It was on our way back home that Mom saw the most beautiful trees.

We were already past them when I slammed breaks, made a U-turn, and turned into the farm gate. We were in awe as we were traveling on the ground road and, at times, through pools of water.

We sat there in silence among the trees for a couple of moments, just holding hands.

Looking back now, I count myself lucky that I took some photos that day, even more fortunate that I still had those photos on my phone, and that I can now appreciate that special moment even more.

Next time you encounter a tree, take a moment to reflect on its role as a quiet observer in your life and appreciate the silent wisdom it offers.

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