Hi Reader!
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Earlier this week, I was awoken to the noise of chainsaws and a man in a bucket outside my window pulling down the branches of a cherry tree. At first, it seemed like scheduled tree pruning until the tree was felled with a loud smack on the pavement.
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I will miss the little stretch of shade this tree provided in the back of our building and the way its white flowers would bloom early over the exhaust from the neighboring restaurant. I’ll miss how close the birds came to our windows as they perched on the high branches.
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Since this unexpected loss of beauty in my neighborhood, I’ve been contemplating the comfort that trees provide and how people can also act as shade trees.
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When I envision shade, I see a cool, comfortable spot where we can lay down our burdens for a while. Lying in the shade doesn’t ask us to be anyone other than ourselves. The shade is freely given.
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The same goes for an experience with a calm and present person. I imagine sitting in silence with a relative or friend or listening while another person (maybe a stranger) shares a joyful or challenging experience. Witnessing them and not asking anything of them but to be themselves.
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In the absence of this cherry tree, I feel the lack of shade. I realize that I notice its absence more than I registered its presence. I realize how easy it is to take the beautiful, freely given, elements of our lives for granted. This week, I'm giving thanks for the shade trees; both the trees that have colored my environment, and the people who have supported me along the way.
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Some questions to reflect on this week:

Can you recall a time in your life when someone else provided a refuge for you?

Do you allow yourself to enjoy the shade when you sit in it?

How can you provide shade for others today?

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What I'm currently reading:

Articles:

​“Sleeping Beauty: Why Raphael’s brilliance is deemed boring” by Zachary Fine ​

​“Rusting River: Alarm Grows Over Uptick in Acidic Arctic Waters”by Ed Struzik ​

Books:

​“Coming into the Country” by John McPhee ​

Poetry:

​“Hurry” by Marie Howe ​

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