Hug a Tree

Some trees are nicer to hug than others. Deciduous trees tend to be more welcoming than evergreens or maybe it is just my preference to avoid the impossibly sticky sap all over my hands and clothing… Smooth bark trees have an added feature: they sing. We live impossible lives when we allow our circumstances to dictate our schedule. Do we really have a choice? I do. And I am thankful.  I am exercising that choice today, at this moment. Circumstances are demanding that I pay attention to preparation for some serious presentations to take place in a couple of days, in a week. There is too much to do in the short time I have. I choose to take a breather and share a little insight with my friends. I choose to have a coffee and spend some time with my husband. Later today I will take the time to hug a tree. I have come to learn that if I do not take care of me there is not enough to go around. By neglecting myself I deprive my family and my customers of the best I can be. So amid the scurry of this day and that of the days to come I will stop, breathe and hug a tree, not just any tree. I look forward to hearing the song as my ear nestles up closely to the soft, cool skin of a birch or a young poplar. The music is more varied, more spectacular, in the months of leaf. Even so it is a song worth enjoying. I suppose even that is a choice.