Trees – Embodiment of endurance and giving

Let us take a few moments to contemplate on how much trees endure and give unconditionally. They endure bitter cold, hot weather, severe storms, fierce winds, heavy rains, etc. They can’t run and hide themselves inside houses when they are faced with such conditions. Not only do they endure, but they give so many things like shade, wood, fruits/nuts, shelter for birds and animals. They also beautify the landscape. We use wood for building furniture and constructing houses. Trees help prevent soil erosion with their deep roots. They give us oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air to maintain a healthy atmosphere. Dry branches are used for cooking and heating in many parts of the world. We can even use dry leaves as fertilizer for our lawns and gardens after composting them. There are special trees like rubber tree which are used to make natural rubber. Eucalyptus tree is used for eucalyptus oil which has medicinal value. You must have heard about the beauty of cherry blossoms. Can you believe some Sequoia trees are found to be 3,500 old? Do you know that cork, which is used as a stopper for a wine bottle, comes from the bark of the Cork Oak tree? Another tree worth mentioning is the coconut tree. Coconut oil which is extracted from the flesh of coconuts is good for skin and hair. Coconut water which is found inside a young green coconut is full of health benefits.  There are so many other uses of trees which are impossible to narrate them all here. Trees don’t ask for money or appreciation in return.

Can we imagine our lives without fruits? Sometimes we get arrogant and think we have money and we can buy anything. What about if we have money and there are no fruits to buy? For the sake of emphasis, let me list fruits which I have eaten in my lifetime – apple, banana, blackberries, blueberries, figs, guava, grapes, grapefruits, kiwi, mango, melons, papaya, pear, pineapple, oranges, and strawberries. I can’t imagine my life without these juicy tasty fruits.

Can you imagine this earth without trees? How will the landscape look without them? The earth will look so barren. There will be many more severe dust storms. We will lose a lot of top soil due to erosion. Trees are very important for our sustenance. Let us not take them for granted. Protect each tree like a valuable treasure.

Let us learn the value of endurance from trees when we are faced with difficulties in life. O trees of the world! we always took from you and never even bothered to say thank you. We learnt two things from you – the value of endurance and giving. We thank you for teaching us these two values.