Driving (with) Miss Zoe: To Be A Tree (Mighty Angel Oak)

On my third day in Charleston we set the GPS for Johns Island. As I eluded to in yesterday's post, my goal was to get Zoe on every type of road possible so by the time I left she would be confident changing gears.

As soon as I heard about an oak they call The Angel Oak, I had to see it, smell it, touch it for myself.

Many, many moons ago I counted a tree among my closest of friends.

Though it was nothing so incredibly large as this one, it was impressive to my small self.

I lost count of time while in its branches, reading a book or imagining worlds.

Then one day I climbed well past the point of safety...and I fell.

To this day I swear that I was on the other side of it when I lost my footing, where there were no branches to break my fall,

and it reached around and caught me.

From that day to this there has been a special place in my heart for trees.

They are alive in more ways than we can comprehend.

I admit there was a longing to pull myself up and in to this beauty's majestic arms.

Though the thought of injuring it stayed my impulse.

I whispered my wish for it to thrive, to live, to still be there for centuries to come.

Then bid it a wistful farewell.

My camera battery was running low, but I still managed to capture a quick survey of its girth.

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Stay tuned for more on my Charleston adventure!