if trees could talk.

Do you think if trees could
Talk
Think
Judge
they would do so in the same way humans do?

Driving through Ohio in November, I’m captivated by their beauty. It’s shocking every single time. I grew up here, and have spent 30 autumns seeing these sights. But every single time, I almost cannot believe their beauty. It’s astonishing.

I wondered if anyone would ever say otherwise.

There’s just no way. No way could anyone see the sights of the autumn season and not be absolutely in awe.

But then again, maybe so.

And then I wondered….

Do you think if trees could
Talk
Think
Judge
they would do so as we do?

The maple tree’s leaves are turning a blazing auburn. They’re enjoying the shade developing. They look across at a neighboring tree and see a warm golden hue. Suddenly, they’re thinking: Maybe I’m not actually special. Maybe I’m not actually beautiful. Maybe I’m not set apart. I’m surrounded by trees just like me, yet better than me. My leaves aren’t turning quickly enough. My shade and pacing is off. It’s actually not beautifully. It’s actually ugly.

I’m behind. I’m ugly. I’m no one special.

I’m no one.

We judge one another because we judge ourselves.

Not a single one of us is
Not special
Not set apart
Ugly
Just like everyone else
Not enough
Not on time

But as we’ve grown we’ve learned things about ourselves that we’ve deemed “ugly”. Unworthy. Behind pace.

Because somewhere someone looked at their nose, similar to yours, and called it ugty. And so? Suddenly, it’s ugly. And someone got married by 30. And so? Suddenly, that was the standard. And someone achieved their dream at 18. And So? That became the benchmark. And on and on it went. Until nothing made much sense. And we were as far away as possible from the true reality-from recognizing everyone else’s unique and special beauty, pace and story without negating our own.

I think if trees
Talked
Thought
Judged
they would do so in the way we should.
In the way we were always made to, yet have strayed so far from.

Recognizing their pace, their beauty, their own place in their strong and unique roots in this beautiful world. Being completely captivated by every other tree around them—without ever once going inward and connecting other’s successes and beauties toward faults in their own unique being.