Tall Pine Trees

This week I went on a 1.9 mile hike to a high mountain lake.  This hike is one I have been going on for more than 40 years. 

Brandon and I had the mountain almost to ourselves as we slowly meandered up the newly groomed trail.  We also looked for moose, deer and the end of summer flowers. Yes, we stopped to take side paths to look out across the meadows and step up on the boulders. 

As the hike continued, I could feel the memory of the turns returning.  The little stream was right around this corner and remember to use the rocks to cross the next stream or the mud will be forever stuck on my hiking boot. Then the trees where we often see moose are on that left side.  

No moose this time.  

As we were getting closer to where the lake is, the trail changed.  The dirt became loose rock and then large rock. We side stepped up the switch back part of the trail and waited for a few people to come down.  

That was a good thing because we were needing to take a breath and let our lungs catch up to our legs that were yelling at us to go even slower! 

When did we get this old? Overnight is the answer we will go with for now.

We are here

And then, the lake was right around that last bend. I could feel it in my bones. 

There are places I can go that bring me back to where my feet belong.  Where I know I have balance and can stand in my own place. 

Mountains are that place.  This mountain is one of those places. 

The lake is completely surrounded by immense mountain walls, yet is calm and quiet. You can hear the lapping of the water against the rocks with a small breeze.  Small fish cause ripples on the surface. That wind through the trees can make one or one hundred leaves move in a rhythm. 

Can you feel the space?  Breathe, my friends, breathe.

Now, the trees by this lake are grand. They are tall and have grown near the lake over decades.  

Many of the trees have grown together to gain strength from one another. Pine trees are near each other across this mountain.  They are all sizes of trees. 

It is beautiful. 

As I watched and listened to the sounds of nature with Brandon at the lake, I remembered that some trees have roots that go down only 6-10 feet but are intertwined with those of trees around it so all the trees are stronger.  The Giant Sequoia trees in the Redwood Forest are like this. 

Growing 350 feet into the sky with the support and help of trees all around. 

That is spectacular! 

The thoughts that come to the quiet tops of mountains are sometimes simple. 

26 years ago I found people who showed me that I could start my own roots. I have intertwined my roots with hundreds of root systems over these years.  Become stronger because of it. 

I have learned more than I thought imaginable with my roots intertwined with others. Listening, being still, becoming.

What if we stood with roots planted, however deep they are right now, and stood next to someone? 

Let’s do this together, my friends.