Giving Thanks for the Trees - Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island, BC
This time of year, when everywhere I loo
k there are Christmas trees beautifully decorated, I am reminded of the beautiful Douglas Firs in British Columbia.
I often think that of all of the gifts we have given here on this earth, none other than water is greater than a tree.
Trees produce our oxygen, our warmth, our shelter, our food, our furnishings, our medicines and are a great solace to our souls.
In September of this year we visited Vancouver Island and on our way to Tofino, stopped to walk the great Cathedral Grove. No visitor to Vancouver Island should miss taking a walk down this beautiful trail.
When standing in the shadow of a giant tree older than my Great-Grandparents, were they still alive today, my breath is taken away and I feel a great surge of love and awe.
Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island, Bc is located in Macmillan Park and is one of the world's most easily accessed old growth temperate rainforests.
As we go about our holiday activities, I hope we all pause to think about one of the most beautiful and enduring parts of the season, the Christmas tree and all it stands for.
We are greatly blessed here on earth with such an abundance of beauty all around us in the form of trees, from the tiniest to the most majestic.
©2009JoSmith
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Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.Oakville-BurlingtonHomes.com |
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Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Your Choice Realty , Mississauga, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com |
Jo-Anne - Trees are an amazing and beautiful gift. I've been into the Amazon and seen trees with trunks 12' or more in diameter. Unfortunately, I've also seen some of those trees being illegally harvested by unscrupulous lumber companies.
John,
It breaks my heart to think of how long it took these trees to grow into the giants that they are and in a matter of minutes mankind takes them down, with no further thought as to what is being lost and can never be regained.
Jo
Jo - Before my dying day, I would love to be able to experience the awe of trees so big in stature. Nature's existence is breathtaking and very powerful, something we should always remember & respect as we share the planet with it.
Jo: I love areas such as these. When I saw this, I thought to myself: "Jo doesn't live in that area..." Funny how after awhile we all know where our Active Rain friends live. Northern California - specifically the Redwoods and Kings Canyon has awesome kings of nature standing in the forest. I have yet to go to Vancouver, but plan to one day. ;-)
Jo, What a beautiful picture! Trees are almost magic, I sometimes believe they have many stories to tell--if only we could hear them. You're possibly the only other person I know that will give a tree a hug :)
Jason,
You'll be in awe when you visit an old growth rainforest....I know you'll be writing a great piece about it and I look forward to reading it.
Nature is truly indescribably beautiful and nothing we can do can match her creative powers.
Jo
Teri,
aww, thanks for remembering me. ((-;
I would love to see the giant Redwoods in California..I imagine they are akin to the Douglas Firs only in a dryer ecosystem.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Jo
Carole,
Trees have spirits of their own which is all part of the great spirit and I believe communicate with us through their own special means. I know I feel totally at peace and absolutely wonderful when I'm around a giant old tree and yes, I do hug them. Their energy is so life affirming.
Jo
Jo-anne,
I've been there although it's been a number of years. Not too many places like that left.
Terry,
No, they're disappearing fast. Everyone should have the opportunity to visit there at least once in their life...
Jo