Hey Everyone,
How have you been? The last time I wrote to y’all was at the beginning of Summer now I find myself writing to you at almost the start of fall. A lot has happened, and at the same time I feel like I didn’t do much at all. Summer went by in such a blur, most of the time I spent it at work, working on things for the church, or just being at home. We recently had a loss in the family and even though it was hard to go through I enjoyed being able to spend time with my aunts from my Honduran side of the family. Did I mention I was Puerto Rican and Honduran? It’s made the way I view life quite interesting because it’s two completely different cultures. As much as I love my Puerto Rican culture I was mostly raised with my Honduran family.
If I can mention a few things I’m excited about, the biggest being that Fall is almost here and y’all know that Fall is my favorite season, the trees change color, the air gets crisper, sweater weather is upon us, and all is right in the world. I’m also excited because My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is coming out this weekend and I can not wait to see it. Now I know you guys aren’t here to hear all about my love for Fall so; get comfortable, find a quiet place, maybe a snack or two and let’s chat for a bit.
This morning I found myself thinking about the coming transition of trees, and how they soon will begin to change color, and then start to lose all of their leaves. I wonder if they realize that I stare at them a lot? If they know that I gaze in wonder at how mighty and beautiful they are. There’s something about them that brings me peace. Knowing that in every stage of their lives they have purpose. That just like me they started off as a seed and they also had to grow up surrounded by darkness.
You see, sometimes we wonder why we have to be surrounded by darkness, not knowing that in that darkness we will soon grow enough roots and become strong enough to make it to the light. At the start of this summer it felt like I was just on pilot mode, working, sleeping, eating. I needed to find a moment of peace throughout my day and that’s when I started to sit outside in the mornings while I had my breakfast to breathe in the new day and look at the trees.
I noticed how each tree was so different and how each branch curved differently. How the squirrels would chase each other down the trunks and how the birds would perch themselves on the branches. How the trees would sway from side to side as the wind blew as though they were listening to a melody. It was in these moments where my heart would slow down to a steady beat, I’d feel the breeze brush through my hair, and the sun kiss my skin. This is peace, this is being still, this is admiring God’s creation in the midst of a chaotic routine.
Now it was not my intention to share this with you seeing as I was wondering myself what to write about and isn’t it funny how the last blog post that Perla wrote is about how “People are like plants,” talk about the same spirit huh. This morning I found myself thinking about how easy it is for trees to let go of their leaves. How they just fall and let the wind take them away. I found myself jealous of the trees. I wish it were so easy for me to let go of so many things instead of waiting for God to say “Okay, you have to let go now.” I wish it were easy to let go of pain, and certain emotions but as humans we have to allow ourselves to feel them, to learn from them, and to let them go.
Now there is this one tree I feel badly for, I don’t know if it was struck by lightning or why it was no longer producing leaves but I started to feel sympathetic towards it. Why does this tree stand so tall, unable to experience the seasons like its neighbor trees? Does it feel alone because nothing grows on it? Does it get mad that the birds don’t build their nests on it? The more I pondered this thought the more God ministered to my life. Do I feel bad for the tree or am I feeling bad for myself? Is it because I’m in a different season than my other friends? Sometimes society makes us feel bad because by a certain age we should do this we should do that. People who are married, people who have children, people who have a high paying job, and so on are all celebrated. But what about those who just want to travel and enjoy what life and God has to offer.
Don’t get me wrong guys, I feel like everyone should be celebrated, it’s just not fun when people make you feel bad for not living the way society expects. At the end of the day, I do believe that we are all living on different timelines and no I’m not going to get into “the multiverse” unless that’s something you’d like to discuss? Can you tell I just finished watching The Flash Movie haha where was I? Oh right, different timelines. I do believe that God blesses us differently and allows us to go through different seasons that prepare us for different blessings.
I live a full life, filled with God, adventures, traveling, laughter, and coffee. Do I love every season? Absolutely not. There are times where I beg God to take me out of some, to heal me from others, and to leave me just a little longer in certain ones. But as I learn more about trees I become less jealous and even more empathetic. I started to wonder why the trees need to lose their leaves and it states in: (A&A Lawncare and Landscaping , Inc. A. Wessleman. Co )
“As autumn sets in and winter approaches, most trees will go dormant to help conserve energy. Leaves are shed in an effort to save energy in the fall– this is what is known as a dormant stage. While in a dormant state, your trees are not dead — although growth is halted for the season.”
Isn’t beautiful that even the trees and land can find rest during the fall and winter times. I am always amazed how God created the universe and how He knew that everything would need a time for rest. So if even the trees need rest how much more do we as humans need rest? I hope you take this moment to start scheduling more moments of rest in your life.
I was also curious about something else; do trees feel? Here I am being jealous of something I truly know nothing about. So I researched about them and when I tell you I was beyond shocked to find out what I did.
According to an article on the Smithsonian Magazine “Trees Make Noises, and Some of Those Sounds Are Cries for Help” Written by: Rachel Nuwer back in 2013
“It’s easy to dismiss trees as inanimate features of the landscape, but these living, breathing organisms aren’t as stoic as they appear. Trees, it turns out, make all kinds of noises as they grow and respond to their environment. Happy, regularly growing trees sound different from drought stressed trees. Now, a team of researchers from Grenoble University in France is trying to pick out these cries for help amidst all the normal tree white noise in order to provide better, more targeted aid to trees suffering from drought, according to National Geographic.In the case of drought, trees undergoing stress form tiny bubbles inside their trunks, NatGeo explains, which causes a unique ultrasonic noise.” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trees-make-noises-and-some-of-those-sounds-are-cries-for-help-24045073/#:~:text=It%27s%20easy%20to%20dismiss%20trees,and%20respond%20to%20their%20environment.
In “When a tress is stressed in the forest, does it make a sound?” Written by: Michael Bell states;
“…Whilst the old thought experiment remains unsolved, scientists from Tel Aviv University (Israel) have determined that plants do, under certain stimuli, make sounds all on their own. This ground-breaking discovery builds on previous findings that when under stress from external pressures plants can alter their shape and color. It has also been previously reported that plants also emit different chemicals when under threat. The chemicals, when released in the soil, can affect neighboring plants, which exhibit defensive behaviors against drought or consumption by animals. These latest findings shed more light on how the plant world can communicate in ways that humans find imperceptible.
The team, led by Lilach Hadany, first recorded the plants in an acoustic box to isolate any potential noises created by the plants from background sources. Tomato and tobacco plants were the primary focus of the study. To mimic a stressful environment, plants were either left unwatered for five days prior to recording or had their stems freshly cut. Microphones designed to detect and record ultrasonic waves were placed approximately 10cm away from the subject plant.
Three controls were devised for the experiment. First, a self control, recording the same plant in a neutral, stress-free environment. Second, a ‘neighbor control’, which involved focusing the microphones on an unaffected plant in the same box. Third, a negative control that comprised an empty pot filled with soil.
The microphones detected that not only dry or cut plants make noise but unaffected plants also generate sounds. Across the board, the plants emitted ultrasound radiation, typically in the region of 40-80kHz. This is well beyond the limit of human hearing, which has an upper limit of around 16kHz for adults. The unstressed plants typically emitted fewer than one sound per hour, whereas the stressed plants emitted upwards of 25 times per hour.’
Out of all of this information; I came to the conclusion that pain isn’t something someone or thing goes through silently. Maybe it may go unnoticed by most but it doesn’t by God. I found it interesting that these plants and trees make noise but we as humans can’t hear it due to the frequency of said noise. How many of us suffer, and go through things that we feel no one can understand or hear? I’m here to say that God hears you, God sees you, God loves you, and He can heal you from your pain. Don’t hide what you’re going through and hold that pain inside, it won’t do you any good.
I once thought I was Jealous of the trees, but they’re just like me. They experience many seasons, they cry out whether from joy or pain, they experience droughts and thirst, and yet they still stand strong waiting for a new day.
I leave you with this quote;
“All the trees are losing their leaves, and not one of them is worried” – Unknown
Until our next unpacking, have a great day my lovelies!
Love Always,
Janny Mari
One Day at A Time with Janny Mari 