Sometimes I feel sad for the trees

Trees give us so much. In nature. In yards. In poetry. In spiritual teaching. They show up for us time and time again. Sometimes I feel sad for the trees who are named just for their fruit or flower. They are more than that.
 
I get that it makes sense in some ways to name trees like that. It’s convenient. It’s just that focusing on the product a tree gives us causes us to miss out on naming its qualities that help make that fruit possible. The tree doesn’t get to hear that we know it’s more than its flower.
 
It would only take a couple extra syllables to say the hardy apple tree or the majestic magnolia. Then we would be set up to have acknowledgement and gratitude in our everyday tree language. What a nice thanks to them for inspiring all of those song lyrics and play dates and romantic gestures.
 
And while we’re at it, let’s be mindful about how we talk about people, including ourselves.

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