By Linda Wiggen Kraft, Green & Growing Editor
There’s a sadness that lingers since the May 16th tornado. Homes, businesses and thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed. Lives were lost. Of course, that sadness and necessary help goes first to the people who suffer the most loss.
It is also the lost trees that tear at our hearts though. Thousands and thousands of trees were pulled from the earth or snapped into pieces. Many of these trees were old, some over 100 years old. The largest trees suffered the most fury of the fierce winds. Forest Park alone lost 3,000 trees from the mile wide tornado. Many, many more were lost to neighborhoods, streets and homes where these beautiful trees that had given shade, were homes to birds, squirrels and insects are now gone.
How to honor and remember those lost trees? Words from author Hermann Hesse are a salve to the wounds of loss. He stated, “Nothing is more sacred, nothing more exemplary, than a strong and beautiful tree.”
Hesse loved trees. A newly translated 2022 book titled Trees shares his love and thoughts on trees, along with twenty-nine of his watercolor paintings of trees. A favorite quote from this book is: “Trees are holy. If you know how to talk to them, how to listen to them, you will learn the truth.”
An honoring of trees can be done at home in a quiet place, outside near a tree, or in a place where trees were. This honoring is for the lost trees, ones still growing and for those yet to grow. A visit to Forest Park is a perfect place to find a quiet spot. Other parks or neighborhoods impacted are places for honoring trees. Sitting in a spot or walking slowly with awareness and love for the trees lets your honoring take place. Your own thoughts or thoughts of others like those of Hermann Hesse can be said to yourself or out loud to the trees.
Here are more of Hesse’s words: “Trees, for me, have always been the most compelling preachers. I worship and adore them…They preach not doctrines and rules: they preach, with no concern for detail, the primal law of life…A tree says: My power is in trust. I live out the mystery of my seed to the very end – that is my only concern. I trust that God is within me. I trust that my task is a holy one.”
Ways to help:
- Forest Park Forever -https://www.forestparkforever.org
- Forest Relief plants trees in urban neighborhoods impacted by the tornado – https://moreleaf.org/
- Tornado relief can be made to the Urban League – https://www.ulstl.com/#/
Linda Wiggen Kraft is a landscape designer of holistic/organic gardens. She is an artist and creativity workshop leader. She is teaching an all-day “Fantasy & Real Flower Art” workshop Oct 18th. Her ceramic jewelry and pottery are available online and at www.gardendistrictstl.com. Find out more, subscribe to her blog and Instagram at www.creativityforthesoul.com Call her at 314 504-4266