Alan Watts
In the movie, AVATAR, a huge tree is the center of the native populations spirituality. Under that tree is a motherlode of a mineral that humans want.
In the book by Ursala K. LeGuin, THE WORD FOR WORLD IS FOREST, earth has been totally deforested and humans have come to this planet to cut the trees to send lumber to the earth.
Next door to my home a suburban forest and wetland area is protected, except, it seems, from a corporation that can pay to buy some of the property, clear the land and turn it into a hotel. Even when not a half mile away a new hotel stands partially completed. It has been that way for some time.
Teach our children to weigh what they do against outcomes. Can we really need wood bad enough that we will deforest the planet? And does it make any sense that we think we need something bad enough that we will use it up?
I have a feeling and a hope that it is the young that will teach us these things. and while I agree with the quote from Alan Watts above, one doesn’t have to go into a far, far forest to understand your connection to everything. I have used the metaphor many times comparing God to a tree. God is all of it, we and all creation are the leaves, the branches, the roots, the fruit, the flowers, even the thorns. All is One...We are ‘connected with everything’.
To the trees that I saw cut down today to make way for the hotel, I thank you and I honor you.
